Shloka 19

Arjuna’s request to Krishna and the opening of the Kāśyapa–Brāhmaṇa mokṣa discourse (Āśvamedhika-parva 16)

Devanagari script

वश्िद्‌ विप्रस्तपोयुक्त: काश्यपो धर्मवित्तम: । आससाद द्विजं कंचिद्‌ धर्माणामागतागमम्‌

Transliteration

vṛddho vipras tapoyuktaḥ kāśyapo dharmavittamaḥ | āsasāda dvijaṁ kañcid dharmāṇām āgatāgamam ||

Translation

ପ୍ରାଚୀନ କାଳରେ ତପୋଯୁକ୍ତ ଓ ଧର୍ମଜ୍ଞାନରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ କାଶ୍ୟପ ନାମକ ବୃଦ୍ଧ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଧର୍ମବିଷୟକ ଆଗମ-ପରମ୍ପରାର ମର୍ମ ଭଲଭାବେ ଜାଣିଥିବା ଜଣେ ଦ୍ୱିଜ ମୁନିଙ୍କୁ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କଲେ। ସେ ଧର୍ମଶାସ୍ତ୍ରର ଗୁହ୍ୟ ରହସ୍ୟରେ ନିପୁଣ, ଭୂତ-ଭବିଷ୍ୟ ଜ୍ଞାନ-ବିଜ୍ଞାନରେ ପାରଙ୍ଗତ, ଲୋକତତ୍ତ୍ୱାର୍ଥରେ କୁଶଳ, ସୁଖ-ଦୁଃଖର ଅର୍ଥ ଜାଣୁଥିବା, ଜନ୍ମ-ମୃତ୍ୟୁର ତତ୍ତ୍ୱଜ୍ଞ ଓ ପାପ-ପୁଣ୍ୟର ବିବେକୀ ଥିଲେ।

Word by Word

• वशिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha (the sage)
• वशिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वशिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विप्रः: a brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तपोयुक्तः: endowed with austerity
• तपोयुक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपोयुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• काश्यपः: Kaśyapa
• काश्यपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्यप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मवित्तमः: best knower of dharma
• धर्मवित्तमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मवित्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आससाद: approached / went to
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√सद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• द्विजम्: a twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• द्विजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कञ्चित्: some / a certain
• कञ्चित्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्माणाम्: of dharmas / of duties
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• आगतागमम्: versed in what has come and what will come (past and future lore)
• आगतागमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आगतागम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kāśyapa
• a dvija (unnamed Brahmin/sage)
• Brahmin (speaker)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is best understood through disciplined inquiry: a sincere practitioner (tapas-yukta) approaches an authoritative knower of tradition (āgata-āgama) to learn the subtle principles that govern right conduct and the moral consequences of actions.

What is happening in the narrative?

The verse sets the scene: the elder Brahmin Kāśyapa, renowned for austerity and knowledge of dharma, goes to meet a learned twice-born sage who is portrayed as an expert in the transmitted teachings on dharma, preparing for a dialogue or instruction.