Shloka 1

युधिष्ठिरप्रश्नः—विश्वामित्रस्य ब्राह्मणत्वकौतूहलम् | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry on Viśvāmitra’s Attainment of Brāhmaṇya

Devanagari script

35१७" श्जु अीस-न्‍#सस - इस अध्यायमें वर्णित चरित्र असाधारण शक्तिसम्पन्न पुरुषोंके हैं। आजकलके साधारण मनुष्योंको इसके उस अंशका अनुकरण नहीं करना चाहिये जिसमें स्त्रीके लिये अपने शरीर-प्रदानकी बात कही गयी है। अतिथिको अन्न

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | brāhmaṇyaṃ yadi duṣprāpyaṃ tribhir varṇanṛpādhipa | kathaṃ prāptaṃ mahārāja kṣatriyeṇa mahātmanā ||

Translation

ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର କହିଲେ—ହେ ରାଜାଧିରାଜ, ହେ ନରେଶ୍ୱର! ଯଦି ଅନ୍ୟ ତିନି ବର୍ଣ୍ଣ ପାଇଁ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣତ୍ୱ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତି ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଦୁର୍ଲଭ, ତେବେ କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟକୁଳଜ ମହାତ୍ମା ବିଶ୍ୱାମିତ୍ର କିପରି ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣତ୍ୱ ପାଇଲେ? ପିତାମହ, ମୁଁ ଏହାର ତତ୍ତ୍ୱ ସତ୍ୟ ଶୁଣିବାକୁ ଚାହୁଁଛି; ଦୟାକରି କହନ୍ତୁ।

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ब्राह्मण्यं: Brahminhood
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• दुष्प्राप्यं: hard to obtain
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्प्राप्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• त्रिभिः: by/for the three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• वर्णाधिप: O lord of the varṇas
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्णाधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कथं: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• प्राप्तं: obtained/attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• क्षत्रियेण: by a Kṣatriya
• क्षत्रियेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महात्मना: by the great-souled one
• महात्मना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Viśvāmitra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry into whether spiritual status (brāhmaṇya) is fixed by birth or can be attained through extraordinary merit and discipline, using Viśvāmitra as the key example.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira asks the elder authority (addressed as lord of kings) to explain how Viśvāmitra—born a kṣatriya—managed to attain Brahminhood, despite it being described as very difficult for non-brāhmaṇas.