Shloka 24

Devanagari script

शिष्याणां वचन श्रुत्वा सर्वाज्ञानतमोनुद: । पराशरसुत: श्रीमान्‌ व्यासो वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्‌

Transliteration

śiṣyāṇāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā sarvajñānatamonudaḥ | parāśarasutaḥ śrīmān vyāso vākyam athābravīt ||

Translation

शिष्याणां वचनं श्रुत्वा सर्वाज्ञानतमोनुदः। पराशरसुतः श्रीमान् व्यासो वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्॥

Word by Word

• शिष्याणाम्: of the disciples
• शिष्याणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वचनम्: speech; statement
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite

• सर्व: of all
• सर्व: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अज्ञान: of ignorance
• अज्ञान: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तमः: of darkness
• तमः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• नुदः: remover; dispeller
• नुदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नुद्
• Form: ण्वुल्/अच् (agentive, -द), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पराशर: of Parāśara
• पराशर: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराशर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रीमान्: illustrious; venerable
• श्रीमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वाक्यम्: words; statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: then; now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अब्रवीत्: said; spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vyāsa (Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana)
• Parāśara
• disciples (śiṣyāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames true instruction as the removal of ajñāna (ignorance) through a guru’s clarifying speech: doubts are not condemned but become the occasion for a higher, dharma-grounded understanding.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that after hearing his disciples’ uncertain, questioning words, the sage Vyāsa—renowned for dispelling ignorance—begins to speak in response, preparing to resolve their confusion.