Shloka 4

Cyavana Explains His Tests; Kuśika Seeks Brāhmaṇya for His Line (च्यवन–कुशिक संवादः)

Devanagari script

तदस्य सम्भवं राजन्‌ निखिलेनानुकीर्तय । कौशिकाच्च कथं वंशात्‌ क्षत्राद्‌ वै ब्राह्मणो भवेत्‌

Transliteration

tadasya sambhavaṁ rājan nikhilenānukīrtaya | kauśikāc ca kathaṁ vaṁśāt kṣatrād vai brāhmaṇo bhavet ||

Translation

ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର କହିଲେ— ହେ ରାଜନ୍! ତାଙ୍କ ଜନ୍ମର ସମସ୍ତ ପରିସ୍ଥିତି ମୋତେ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭାବେ କହନ୍ତୁ। କୁଶିକଙ୍କ ବଂଶ ତ ଖ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ ଥିଲା; ତେବେ ସେଇ ଖ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ ବଂଶରୁ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ କିପରି ହେଲେ? ତେଣୁ, ହେ ରାଜନ୍, ପରଶୁରାମଙ୍କ ଉତ୍ପତ୍ତିର ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ବୃତ୍ତାନ୍ତ କହନ୍ତୁ।

Word by Word

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अस्य: of him/this (person)
• अस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सम्भवम्: origin, birth
• सम्भवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्भव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• निखिलेन: completely, in full
• निखिलेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निखिल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अनुकीर्तय: recount, narrate
• अनुकीर्तय: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-कीर्त्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कौशिकात्: from (the line of) Kuśika / from Kauśika
• कौशिकात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun (patronymic/proper)
• Root: कौशिक
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• वंशात्: from the lineage
• वंशात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• क्षत्रात्: from kṣatra (the Kṣatriya order)
• क्षत्रात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• वै: indeed, surely
• वै: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: could become / would be
• भवेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Paraśurāma
• Kuśika (Kauśika lineage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry into how spiritual status and social identity (Brāhmaṇa-hood) can arise in relation to lineage (vaṁśa). It prompts reflection on whether varṇa is determined solely by birth or also by qualities, conduct, and divine/ascetic factors as explained in the ensuing narrative.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira requests a complete account of Paraśurāma’s origin and asks how a Brāhmaṇa could emerge from the Kṣatriya Kauśika line. This sets up the subsequent genealogical and explanatory narration by the interlocutor addressed as ‘O King’.