Shloka 60

धर्मस्य बहुद्वारत्वम् — Nārada’s Audience with Indra (Śānti-parva 340)

Devanagari script

मया सृष्ट: पुरा ब्रह्मा मां यज्ञमयजत्‌ स्वयम्‌

Transliteration

mayā sṛṣṭaḥ purā brahmā māṃ yajñam ayajat svayam

Translation

Бхишма сказал: «В древние времена я сотворил Брахму; и Брахма по собственной воле совершил поклонение мне — тому, чья сущность есть жертвоприношение (яджня).»

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Tritiya, Ekavacana

• सृष्टः: created
• सृष्टः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: Pum, Prathama, Ekavacana

• पुरा: formerly, in the past
• पुरा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Pum, Prathama, Ekavacana

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Dvitiya, Ekavacana

• यज्ञम्: sacrifice
• यज्ञम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Pum, Dvitiya, Ekavacana

• अयजत्: worshipped, performed sacrifice
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज्
• Form: Lan (Imperfect), Prathama, Ekavacana

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Brahmā
• Yajña (sacrifice)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates yajña (sacrificial order) as a foundational divine principle: even Brahmā, the cosmic creator, is portrayed as honoring and upholding sacrifice, implying that dharma and cosmic stability are sustained through reverence for yajña.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, while instructing on dharma in Śānti Parva, cites a primordial account: he states that he (speaking in the voice of a higher principle or deity in the discourse) created Brahmā in ancient times, and that Brahmā then performed worship/sacrifice to him, identified with yajña.