Shloka 4

Viṣṇu-sahasranāma—Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Recitation (विष्णोर्नामसहस्रम्)

Devanagari script

सगुह्यान्‌ सरहस्यांश्न॒ तान्‌ शृणुध्वमशेषत: । श्रद्दधाने प्रयोक्तव्या यस्य शुद्धं तथा मन:

Transliteration

saguhyān sarahasyāṁś ca tān śṛṇudhvaṁ aśeṣataḥ | śraddadhāne prayoktavyā yasya śuddhaṁ tathā manaḥ ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు అన్నాడు—గోప్యమూ, పరమ రహస్యమూ కలిగిన ఈ ఉపదేశాలను సంపూర్ణంగా వినండి. మనస్సు శుద్ధమై, శ్రద్ధ కలిగినవాడికే వీటిని బోధించాలి.

Word by Word

• सगुह्यान्: with secrets / secret (things)
• सगुह्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सगुह्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सरहस्यान्: with mysteries / with esoteric import
• सरहस्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सरहस्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तान्: those (teachings)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शृणुध्वम्: hear (you all)!
• शृणुध्वम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Second, Plural, Atmanepada

• अशेषतः: completely; without remainder
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अशेषतस्

• श्रद्दधाने: in/for one who has faith
• श्रद्दधाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्दधान
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रयोक्तव्या: should be applied/used (i.e., should be taught)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-युज्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• यस्य: of whom; whose
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• शुद्धम्: pure
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: thus; in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even profound or secret dharma-teachings should be given only to a listener who has śraddhā (faithful receptivity) and a śuddha manaḥ (purified mind), emphasizing ethical responsibility in transmitting knowledge.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma introduces a set of teachings described as containing confidential and esoteric elements, urging the audience to listen fully, while setting a qualification for who is fit to receive such instruction.