Shloka 8

Chapter 84: Brahmā’s Counsel on Tāraka, the Search for Agni, and the Genesis of Skanda

Kārttikeya

Devanagari script

पितरं परिपप्रच्छ दृष्टलोकपरावरम्‌ | को यज्ञ: सर्वयज्ञानां वरिष्ठोडभ्युपलक्ष्यते

Transliteration

pitaraṁ paripapraccha dṛṣṭa-loka-parāvaram | ko yajñaḥ sarva-yajñānāṁ variṣṭho 'bhyupalakṣyate, niṣpāpa nareśa ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: «Он (Шука) спросил своего отца — провидца, который прямо созерцает высшие и низшие области мира (прошлое и будущее): “О безгрешный царь, какое жертвоприношение признаётся первейшим среди всех жертв?” В связи с этим я расскажу тебе древнее предание: однажды премудрый Шукадева, совершив ежедневные обряды и очистившись телом и умом, поклонился своему отцу — Кришне Двайпаяне Вьясе, лучшему из риши, видящему бывшее и грядущее, — и задал этот вопрос.»

Word by Word

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परिपप्रच्छ: asked (repeatedly/respectfully)
• परिपप्रच्छ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दृष्ट: seen; one who has seen
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• लोक: world
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परावरम्: past and future; higher and lower (extremes)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परावर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कः: which? what?
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यज्ञः: sacrifice; yajña
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्व: of all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• यज्ञानाम्: of sacrifices
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरिष्ठः: the best; most excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ
• Form: Superlative, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उपलक्ष्यते: is perceived/recognized
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-लक्ष्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive/impersonal sense

• निष्पाप: O sinless one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्पाप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नरेश: O king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śukadeva (Śuka)
• Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa
• King (listener addressed as nareśa—Yudhiṣṭhira in context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: among all forms of yajña (sacred duty and offering), which is truly supreme. It emphasizes that ethical and spiritual priorities should be clarified through respectful questioning of realized elders, after personal purification and disciplined practice.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma begins an old illustrative story. Śukadeva, after completing his daily rites and becoming pure-minded, approaches his father Vyāsa, bows, and asks which yajña is considered the greatest among all sacrifices.