Shloka 26

Devanagari script

एतत्‌ कर्म वसिष्ठस्थ कथितं हि मयानघ । ब्रवीम्यहं ब्रूहि वा त्वं वसिष्ठात्‌ क्षत्रियं वरम्‌

Transliteration

etat karma vasiṣṭhastha kathitaṃ hi mayānagha | bravīmy ahaṃ brūhi vā tvaṃ vasiṣṭhāt kṣatriyaṃ varam ||

Translation

ହେ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦୋଷ! ବଶିଷ୍ଠଙ୍କ ଏହି କର୍ମକଥା ମୁଁ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କରିଛି। ମୁଁ କହୁଛି—ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ; ନଚେତ୍ ତୁମେ କହ, ବଶିଷ୍ଠଠାରୁ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ କୌଣସି କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ ଅଛି କି?

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• कर्म: act, rite, deed
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• वसिष्ठ: O Vasiṣṭha
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: वसिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• कथितम्: told, narrated
• Type: Verb (Past Passive Participle)
• Root: कथ्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• अनघ: O sinless one
• Type: Adjective (used as vocative)
• Root: अनघ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ब्रवीमि: I say
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Present Indicative, 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रूहि: say (you)! tell!
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• वसिष्ठात्: from/than Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: वसिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• क्षत्रियम्: a kṣatriya (warrior/king)
• क्षत्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वरम्: better, superior, excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Vasiṣṭha
• Kṣatriya
• Brāhmaṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse asserts a dharma-based hierarchy: Bhīṣma argues that the Brāhmaṇa’s spiritual authority and the sage Vasiṣṭha’s standing establish the Brāhmaṇa as superior, challenging anyone to name a Kṣatriya greater than Vasiṣṭha.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, in an instructional discourse, appeals to Vasiṣṭha as a decisive exemplar. He frames the point as a challenge: either accept his conclusion about Brāhmaṇa superiority or produce a counterexample—some Kṣatriya surpassing Vasiṣṭha.