Shloka 23

वृत्ति-सत्सङ्ग-दान-धर्म

Livelihood, Virtuous Association, and Ethics of Giving

Devanagari script

भगवन्‌ क्व नु यान्त्येते देवा: शक्रपुरोगमा: । ब्रृहि तत्त्वेन तत्त्वज्ञ संशयो मे महानयम्‌

Transliteration

bhagavan kva nu yānty ete devāḥ śakra-purogamāḥ | brūhi tattvena tattvajña saṁśayo me mahān ayam ||

Translation

“ଭଗବନ୍! ଶକ୍ର (ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର) ପୁରୋଗାମୀ ଏହି ଦେବତାମାନେ କେଉଁଠିକୁ ଯାଉଛନ୍ତି? ତତ୍ତ୍ୱଜ୍ଞ ପ୍ରଭୁ, ତତ୍ତ୍ୱତଃ ସତ୍ୟ କହନ୍ତୁ; ମୋ ମନରେ ମହା ସନ୍ଦେହ ଉଦ୍ଭବିଛି।”

Word by Word

• भगवन्: O Blessed Lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• क्व: where
• क्व: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व

• नु: indeed/then (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु

• यान्ति: go
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (याति)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• एते: these
• एते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शक्रपुरोगमाः: having Indra (Śakra) in front; led by Indra
• शक्रपुरोगमाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्र-पुरोगम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ब्रूहि: tell (you should say)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्त्वेन: in truth; truly
• तत्त्वेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• तत्त्वज्ञ: O knower of truth
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्वज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मे: of me; my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• महान्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अयम्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Devas
• Śakra (Indra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharmic inquiry: when confronted with an unclear divine or moral situation, one should seek clarification from a tattvajña (knower of reality) and ask for an account grounded in tattva (truth), not conjecture.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses a revered interlocutor and asks where the gods, led by Indra, are going. His question arises from a strong inner doubt, prompting him to request a precise, truthful explanation.