Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मण उवाच मोक्षधर्म समाश्रित्य कृष्ण यन्मामपृच्छथा: । भूतानामनुकम्पार्थ यन्मोहच्छेदनं विभो

Transliteration

brāhmaṇa uvāca: mokṣadharma-samāśritya kṛṣṇa yan mām apṛcchathāḥ | bhūtānām anukampārthaṃ yan moha-cchedanaṃ vibho ||

Translation

Брахман сказал: «О Кришна, о Мадхусудана! Раз ты спросил меня об этом — о вопросе, основанном на дхарме освобождения, из сострадания ко всем существам и с целью рассечь заблуждение, о могучий, — я отвечу на него так, как оно есть. О Владыка, о Мадхава, внимай моим словам».

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular

• मोक्षधर्मम्: the doctrine of liberation
• मोक्षधर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्षधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समाश्रित्य: having resorted to / based on
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Parasmaipada (usage)

• कृष्ण: O Krishna
• कृष्ण: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• अपृच्छथाः: you asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Second, Singular

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अनुकम्पार्थम्: for the sake of compassion
• अनुकम्पार्थम्: Prayojana (Karma-arthaka)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुकम्पा-अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मोहच्छेदनम्: cutting of delusion
• मोहच्छेदनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह-च्छेदन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विभो: O mighty one
• विभो: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (Brāhmaṇa)
• कृष्ण (Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames mokṣa-dharma as compassionate instruction: true spiritual teaching aims to remove moha (delusion) for the welfare of all beings, and it should be given carefully and accurately.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin respondent addresses Krishna, acknowledging Krishna’s question as rooted in the path of liberation and motivated by compassion; the Brahmin then prepares to deliver a faithful, attentive explanation.