Shloka 1

गोशकृन्माहात्म्य-प्रश्नः (On the Merit of Cow-Dung and the Abode of Śrī) / Inquiry into the Sanctity of Cow-Dung

Devanagari script

ऑपन--माजल छा टॉस: अष्टसप्ततितमो< ध्याय: वसिष्ठका सौदासको गोदानकी विधि एवं महिमा बताना भीष्म उवाच एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु वसिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम्‌ | इक्ष्वाकुवंशजो राजा सौदासो वदतां वर:

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca | etasminn eva kāle tu vasiṣṭham ṛṣisattamam | ikṣvākuvaṃśajo rājā saudāso vadatāṃ varaḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ରାଜନ୍! ସେହି ସମୟରେ ଇକ୍ଷ୍ୱାକୁବଂଶଜ ରାଜା ସୌଦାସ—ବକ୍ତାମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ—ସମସ୍ତ ଲୋକରେ ବିଚରଣକାରୀ, ବୈଦିକ ଜ୍ଞାନର ଭଣ୍ଡାର, ସିଦ୍ଧ ଓ ସନାତନ ଋଷିଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ବସିଷ୍ଠଙ୍କୁ (ନିଜ ପୁରୋହିତଙ୍କୁ) ପ୍ରଣାମ କରି, ଏହିପରି ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ କରିବାକୁ ଆରମ୍ଭ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• काले: at the time
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तु: but/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• वसिष्ठम्: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ऋषि-सत्तमम्: the best of sages
• ऋषि-सत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषिसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इक्ष्वाकु-वंश-जः: born in the Ikṣvāku lineage
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इक्ष्वाकुवंशज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सौदासः: Saudāsa
• सौदासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौदास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वदताम्: of speakers/of those who speak
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural, present active participle (शतृ) used substantively

• वरः: best/excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Vasiṣṭha
• Saudāsa
• Ikṣvāku dynasty

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical model of governance: a king, even if eloquent and powerful, seeks guidance from a foremost sage, implying that righteous rule (dharma) is grounded in humility and consultation with learned spiritual authorities.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma begins a new episode by introducing King Saudāsa of the Ikshvaku line, who approaches the sage Vasiṣṭha and initiates a set of questions that will lead into the chapter’s instruction.