Shloka 13

Devanagari script

अयं ब्रद्मविदां श्रेष्ठो हायं ब्रह्मविदां वर: | इत्यभाषन्त भूतानि शयानं पुरुषर्षभम्‌

Transliteration

ayaṁ brahmavidāṁ śreṣṭho hy ayaṁ brahmavidāṁ varaḥ | ity abhāṣanta bhūtāni śayānaṁ puruṣarṣabham ||

Translation

ଶରଶଯ୍ୟାରେ ଶୟନ କରୁଥିବା ପୁରୁଷପ୍ରବର ଭୀଷ୍ମଙ୍କୁ ଦେଖି କିଛି ଦିବ୍ୟ ପ୍ରାଣୀ କହିଲେ—“ଏହିଜଣ ବ୍ରହ୍ମବିଦମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ; ବ୍ରହ୍ମଜ୍ଞାନୀମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଏହିଜଣ ସର୍ବୋତ୍ତମ।”

Word by Word

• अयम्: this (man)
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मविदाम्: of the knowers of Brahman
• ब्रह्मविदाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मविद्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• श्रेष्ठः: the best
• श्रेष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ह: indeed / surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

• अयम्: this (man)
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मविदाम्: of the knowers of Brahman
• ब्रह्मविदाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मविद्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

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

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• अभाषन्त: spoke / said
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भूतानि: beings
• भूतानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• शयानम्: lying (down)
• शयानम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरुषर्षभम्: the bull among men / best of men
• पुरुषर्षभम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• bhūtāni (divine/celestial beings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True greatness is measured not only by martial power but by inner realization and steadfast dharma; Bhīṣma is honored as a foremost knower of Brahman, showing that spiritual attainment and ethical integrity command reverence even amid the violence of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Bhīṣma has fallen and lies reclining (traditionally on a bed of arrows), celestial beings observe him and proclaim him the best among Brahman-knowers; Sañjaya reports this acclaim, elevating the moment from battlefield spectacle to moral-spiritual recognition.