Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत आश्वमेधिकपर्वके अन्तर्गत अश्वमेधपर्वमें पंद्रहवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

āgacchad brāhmaṇaḥ kaścit svargalokād ariṃdama | brahmalokāc ca durdharṣaḥ so 'smābhiḥ pūjito 'bhavat || śatrudamana! ekadā durdharṣo brāhmaṇo brahmalokād avaruhya svargalokaṃ gatvā mama samīpam āgataḥ | mayā sa vidhivat pūjitaḥ, mokṣadharme ca praśnaḥ kṛtaḥ | bharataśreṣṭha! mama praśnasya sa sundareṇa vidhinā pratyuvāca | pārtha! tad eva te 'haṃ vakṣyāmi; anyathā-buddhiṃ mā kṛthāḥ, dhyānena śṛṇu ||

Translation

Ваю сказал: «О укротитель врагов, однажды неодолимый брахман нисшел из мира Брахмы и, пройдя через небеса, пришёл ко мне. Я принял его по должному обряду и спросил о дхарме, ведущей к освобождению. О лучший из Бхаратов, он ответил на мой вопрос прекрасным и правильным образом. О Партха, теперь я поведаю тебе то самое учение — слушай сосредоточенно, не допуская противных сомнений».

Word by Word

• आगच्छत्: came
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• बलः: strong (one)
• बलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चित्: indeed / even / some
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित्

• स्वर्गलोकात्: from the heaven-world
• स्वर्गलोकात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्गलोक
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• अरिंदम: O subduer of foes
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिंदम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ब्रह्मलोकात्: from Brahma-world
• ब्रह्मलोकात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मलोक
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• दुर्धर्षः: unassailable
• दुर्धर्षः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्धर्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अस्माभिः: by us
• अस्माभिः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Plural

• पूजितः: honoured / worshipped
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: became / was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शत्रुदमन: O tamer of enemies
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रुदमन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Bharataśreṣṭha (address to a Bharata prince)
• Śatrudamana/Ariṃdama (epithet: subduer of enemies)
• a Brahmin (sage)
• Svargaloka
• Brahmaloka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage frames mokṣadharma as authoritative knowledge transmitted through proper reverence and disciplined listening: honoring a realized teacher, asking sincerely about liberation, and receiving the answer with focused attention and without contrarian doubt.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu recounts that a formidable Brahmin descended from Brahmaloka, came via Svargaloka to him, was duly honored, and then answered Vāyu’s question on mokṣadharma. Vāyu now prepares to relay that teaching to Pārtha (Arjuna), urging attentive listening.