Shloka 37

Svargārohaṇa-parva Adhyāya 5 — Karmaphala-Nirdeśa and Phalāśruti (कर्मफलनिर्देशः फलश्रुतिश्च)

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मन्‌! सत्यवादी मुनि व्यासजीके द्वारा निर्मित यह पुण्यमय इतिहास परम पवित्र एवं बहुत उत्तम है ।।

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | brahman! satyavādī muni-vyāsajī-kṛta eṣa puṇyamaya itihāsaḥ parama-pavitraḥ ca atyanta-uttamaḥ || sarvajñena vidhijñena dharmajñānavatā satā | atīndriyeṇa śucinā tapasā bhāvitātmanā || sāṅkhya-yoga-viduṣā ca bahu-śāstra-viśāradena munivareṇa vyāsena divya-dṛṣṭyā vilokya mahātmā-pāṇḍavānām anyeṣāṃ ca bahu-dhana-sampannānāṃ mahā-tejasvināṃ rājñāṃ kīrti-prasāraṇāya ayam itihāsaḥ racitaḥ |

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «О брахман! Эта благочестивая Итихаса, созданная мудрецом Вьясой, говорящим истину, — предельно чиста и необычайно превосходна. Её сложил всеведущий, сведущий в обрядах и должном порядке, утверждённый в знании дхармы, истинный и добродетельный муж — с прозрением, превосходящим чувства, чистый, с внутренним существом, очищенным силой подвижничества. Вьяса, лучший из риши, знаток Санкхьи и Йоги и глубоко сведущий во многих шастрах, узрел всё божественным зрением и составил эту историю, дабы по миру разнеслась слава великодушных Пандавов и иных могучих царей-кшатриев, богатых и сияющих доблестью.»

Word by Word

• सर्वज्ञेन: by the omniscient one
• सर्वज्ञेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विधिज्ञेन: by the knower of (rites/ordinances)
• विधिज्ञेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधिज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• धर्मज्ञानवता: by one possessing knowledge of dharma
• धर्मज्ञानवता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मज्ञानवत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सता: by the virtuous (good) one
• सता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अतीन्द्रियेण: by one beyond the senses
• अतीन्द्रियेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतीन्द्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• शुचिना: by the pure one
• शुचिना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भावितात्मना: by one whose self is purified/imbued (by austerity)
• भावितात्मना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भावितात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vyāsa
• Pāṇḍavas
• Brahmin (addressee)
• Sāṅkhya
• Yoga
• Śāstras
• Divya-dṛṣṭi (divine vision)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames the Mahābhārata as a sanctifying moral history authored by a truth-committed, disciplined, and learned sage. Ethical authority is grounded in dharma-knowledge, purity, and tapas, suggesting that right understanding and right conduct arise from inner refinement and scriptural discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana praises Vyāsa and explains why the epic was composed: Vyāsa, endowed with divine vision and mastery of many disciplines, created this itihāsa to preserve and spread the renown of the Pāṇḍavas and other powerful kings, presenting their deeds within a dharmic framework.