Shloka 3

Brāhmaṇa-mahattva and Atithi-Dharma

Brahmagītā: Praise of Brāhmaṇas and norms of honor

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच इदं शृणु महाप्राज्ञ धर्मपुत्र महायश: । इतिहासं पुरावृत्तं शरणार्थ महाफलम्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca idaṃ śṛṇu mahāprājña dharmaputra mahāyaśaḥ | itihāsaṃ purāvṛttaṃ śaraṇārtha mahāphalam ||

Translation

பீஷ்மர் கூறினார்—மிகுந்த ஞானமுடைய, பெரும் புகழுடைய தர்மபுத்திரனே! அடைக்கலம் நாடியவரைக் காப்பதால் கிடைக்கும் மகத்தான பலனை விளக்கும் இந்தப் பழங்கால வரலாற்றைக் கேள்.

Word by Word

• {'bhīṣma uvāca': 'Bhishma said', 'idaṃ': 'this (teaching/account)', 'śṛṇu': 'listen', 'mahāprājña': 'greatly wise, highly discerning', 'dharmaputra': 'son of Dharma

• epithet of Yudhiṣṭhira', 'mahāyaśaḥ': 'of great fame/glory

• illustrious', 'itihāsam': 'traditional narrative

• historical/legendary account with moral import', 'purāvṛttam': 'that occurred long ago

• ancient event', 'śaraṇa': 'refuge, protection, asylum', 'artha': 'purpose, matter, topic', 'śaraṇārtham': 'concerning refuge

• regarding one who seeks shelter', 'mahāphalam': 'great fruit

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmaputra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Protecting a person who seeks refuge (śaraṇāgata) is presented as a high dharma that yields great merit; Bhishma introduces an ancient exemplum to ground this ethical duty in tradition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira with honorifics and invites him to listen; he is about to begin an old illustrative story explaining the great spiritual and moral reward of granting protection to one who comes for shelter.