Shloka 5

Adhyaya 1 — Jaimini’s Questions on the Mahabharata and the Origin of the Wise Birds

Sanskrit

यथायुधानां कुलिशमिन्द्रियाणां यथा मनः ।

तथेह सर्वशास्त्राणां महाभारतमुत्तमम् ॥

Transliteration

yathāyudhānāṃ kuliśam indriyāṇāṃ yathā manaḥ |

tatheha sarvaśāstrāṇāṃ mahābhāratam uttamam ||

Translation

Sebagaimana vajra (petir) adalah yang terunggul antara senjata, dan sebagaimana minda adalah yang terunggul antara indria, demikianlah di sini Mahābhārata adalah yang tertinggi antara segala śāstra (treatis).

Word by Word

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक-अव्यय

• आयुधानाम्: of weapons
• आयुधानाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कुलिशम्: the thunderbolt (vajra)
• कुलिशम्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलिश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इन्द्रियाणाम्: of the senses
• इन्द्रियाणाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक-अव्यय

• मनः: the mind
• मनः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Anvaya-dyotaka (अन्वय-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तथार्थक-अव्यय (correlative ‘so/thus’)

• इह: here
• इह: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb ‘here/in this context’)

• सर्व-शास्त्राणाम्: of all treatises
• सर्व-शास्त्राणाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (सर्वाणि शास्त्राणि)

• महाभारतम्: the Mahābhārata
• महाभारतम्: Upameya (उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: supreme, best
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः

Speakers

• Not explicitly determinable from the single verse alone; occurs in the opening context where the text situates itself by honoring authoritative tradition (often within the Markandeya–Jaimini frame in many recensions).

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Indra (implied via kuliśa/vajra)

Key Themes

• Śāstra-prāmāṇya (authority of scripture)
• Itihāsa as dharma-teaching
• Hierarchy of knowledge sources
• Mahābhārata’s encyclopedic status

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse asserts a hierarchy of instruments and authorities: just as the vajra is paradigmatic power among weapons and the mind governs the senses, the Mahābhārata is presented as the governing, comprehensive guide among śāstras—implying that dharma is best understood through an integrated, lived narrative tradition rather than narrow specialization.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Indirectly. This is not itself Sarga/Pratisarga/Manvantara/Vaṃśa/Vaṃśānucarita narration, but a prefatory śāstra-stuti that legitimizes forthcoming purāṇic discourse by anchoring it in itihāsa authority. It functions as framing/credentialing rather than a pancalakṣaṇa unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

The pairing of vajra (decisive, singular force) and manas (integrative inner governor) suggests that true scriptural mastery is both penetrating and unifying: the Mahābhārata is portrayed as a ‘vajra-like’ remover of doubt and a ‘mind-like’ organizer of diverse teachings into a coherent dharmic vision.