Shloka 1

Dāna–Tapaḥ Praśaṃsā and Gṛhastha-Upadeśa

Maitreya

Devanagari script

ऑपन--माजल बछ। अकाल एकोनविशर्त्याधिकशततमो< ध्याय: कीड़ेका ब्राह्मणयोनिमें जन्म लेकर ब्रह्मलोकमें जाकर सनातनब्रह्माको प्राप्त करना भीष्म उवाच क्षत्रधर्ममनुप्राप्त: स्मरन्नेव च वीर्यवान्‌ । त्यक्त्वा स कीटतां राज॑ंश्वचार विपुलं तप:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | kṣatradharmam anuprāptaḥ smarann eva ca vīryavān | tyaktvā sa kīṭatāṃ rājan ścacāra vipulaṃ tapaḥ ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—ఓ రాజా యుధిష్ఠిరా! కీటస్థితిని విడిచి, పూర్వజన్మాన్ని స్మరించుకొన్న ఆ జీవుడు క్షత్రియధర్మాన్ని పొందెను. మహావీర్యవంతుడై విస్తారమైన తపస్సు ఆరంభించెను.

Word by Word

• क्षत्रधर्मम्: the duty/law of a kshatriya
• क्षत्रधर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुप्राप्तः: having attained
• अनुप्राप्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-प्राप्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Kta (past passive participle)

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Shatr (present active participle)

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वीर्यवान्: powerful, possessed of valor
• वीर्यवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज्
• Form: Ktva (absolutive/gerund)

• सः: he/that one
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कीटताम्: the state of being an insect (wormhood)
• कीटताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीटता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• चकार: did, performed
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (LiT), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• विपुलम्: great, abundant
• विपुलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (Bhīṣma)
• King Yudhishthira (implied by 'rājan' in context)
• the being formerly in an insect-womb (kīṭa-yoni, implied)
• Kshatriya-dharma (kṣatra-dharma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights moral and spiritual uplift: even after a low birth, one can rise by remembering prior lessons, embracing one’s rightful dharma, and practicing disciplined austerity (tapas).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma tells Yudhishthira that the being who had been born as an insect has now left that condition, regained memory of a former life, attained the status and duties of a kshatriya, and begun intense austerities.