Shloka 1

Devanagari script

ऑपन-माज बक। -ज:डिेि पज्चषष्ट्याधिेकात्रेशततमो< ध्याय: नागराजसे विदा ले ब्राह्मणका 0 38 निसे उज्छवृत्तिकी दीक्षा लेकर साधनपरायण होना और इस कथाकी परम्पराका वर्णन भीष्म उवाच सचामन्त्र्योरगश्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मण: कृतनिश्चय: । दीक्षाकाडुक्षी तदा राजंश्ष्यवनं भार्गव श्रित:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | saṃmantryoragaśreṣṭhaḥ brāhmaṇaḥ kṛtaniścayaḥ | dīkṣām ucchvṛttikīṃ tadā rājann cyavanaṃ bhārgavaṃ śritaḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ହେ ରାଜା ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର! ଏହିପରି ନାଗରାଜଙ୍କ ଅନୁମତି ନେଇ, ସେ ଦୃଢ଼ନିଶ୍ଚୟୀ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଉଞ୍ଛବୃତ୍ତିର ଦୀକ୍ଷା ପାଇବାକୁ ଭାର୍ଗବବଂଶୀ ଚ୍ୟବନ ଋଷିଙ୍କ ନିକଟକୁ ଗଲା।

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आमन्त्र्य: having requested/obtained leave from
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-मन्त्र्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)

• उरगश्रेष्ठम्: the best of serpents (serpent-king)
• उरगश्रेष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरगश्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• कृतनिश्चयः: of firm resolve
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतनिश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दीक्षाकाङ्क्षी: desiring initiation (dīkṣā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीक्षाकाङ्क्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

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

• च्यवनम्: Chyavana
• च्यवनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: च्यवन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भार्गवम्: of the Bhṛgu lineage
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भार्गव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• श्रितः: having resorted to / having gone to
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रि
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (Bhīṣma)
• Yudhishthira (implied by 'rājan')
• Nāgarāja / chief of serpents (uragaśreṣṭha)
• Brahmin (brāhmaṇaḥ)
• Cyavana (Cyavana)
• Bhṛgu lineage (Bhārgava)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic resolve and disciplined livelihood: a seeker should adopt a rigorous, non-exploitative mode of living (ucchvṛttikā—subsisting on what comes without demand) and approach a qualified sage for proper initiation, showing humility, restraint, and commitment to ethical practice.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that, after obtaining the consent of the serpent-king, a determined Brahmin goes to the sage Cyavana (of the Bhṛgu line) to receive initiation into the vow/discipline of ucchvṛttikā, indicating the start of a formal ascetic undertaking under authoritative guidance.