Shloka 35

कुरुवंशप्रश्नः—दुःषन्तस्य राजधर्मवर्णनम्

Kuru Lineage Inquiry and the Portrait of King Duḥṣanta’s Rule

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणानां गवां चैव माहात्म्य॑ यत्र कीर्त्यते । सर्वश्रुतिसमूहो5यं श्रोतव्यो धर्मबुद्धिभि:,ब्राह्मणों तथा गौओंके माहात्म्यका निरूपण भी इस ग्रन्थमें किया गया है। इस प्रकार यह महाभारत सम्पूर्ण श्रुतियोंका समूह है। धर्मात्मा पुरुषोंको सदा इसका श्रवण करना चाहिये

Transliteration

brāhmaṇānāṃ gavāṃ caiva māhātmyaṃ yatra kīrtyate | sarvaśrutisamūho ’yaṃ śrotavyo dharmabuddhibhiḥ ||

Translation

ఇందులో బ్రాహ్మణులూ గోవులూ మహాత్మ్యమూ కీర్తించబడింది. ఈ మహాభారతం సమస్త శ్రుతుల సమాహారం; కాబట్టి ధర్మబుద్ధి గలవారు దీన్ని నిత్యం శ్రవణం చేయాలి।

Word by Word

ब्राह्मणानाम्of the Brahmanas

गवाम्of the cows

चand

एवindeed/also

माहात्म्यम्greatness, glory

यत्रwherein

कीर्त्यतेis proclaimed/described

सर्वश्रुतिसमूहःthe collection of all śrutis

अयम्this

श्रोतव्यःto be heard, should be listened to

धर्मबुद्धिभिःby those of righteous understanding

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Brahmins (ब्राह्मण)

Cows (गाः/गवाम्)

Mahābhārata (implied as ‘this’ compendium)

Śruti (श्रुति)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents the Mahābhārata as a comprehensive repository of sacred instruction (a ‘collection of all śruti’) and urges dharma-minded people to engage in śravaṇa (listening/recitation). It also highlights traditional reverence for Brahmins and cows as ethically significant within dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, in describing the scope and value of the Mahābhārata, states that the text includes praise of Brahmins and cows and asserts its status as an all-encompassing compendium of sacred teachings, recommending that righteous listeners hear it regularly.