Shloka 11

Chapter 84: Brahmā’s Counsel on Tāraka, the Search for Agni, and the Genesis of Skanda

Kārttikeya

Devanagari script

पवित्राणां पवित्र च यत्‌ तद्‌ ब्रूहि पितर्मम । एतच्छुत्वा तु वचन व्यास: परमधर्मवित्‌ पुत्रायाकथयत्‌ सर्व तत्त्वेन भरतर्षभ

Transliteration

pavitrāṇāṁ pavitraṁ ca yat tad brūhi pitar mama | etac chrutvā tu vacanaṁ vyāsaḥ paramadharmavit putrāyākathayat sarvaṁ tattvena bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

తండ్రీ! పవిత్రాలలో పరమ పవిత్రమైనది ఏదో నాకు చెప్పండి. భరతశ్రేష్ఠా! కుమారుని ఈ మాటలు విని పరమధర్మవేత్త వ్యాసుడు అతనికి సమస్తాన్ని తత్త్వంగా వివరించాడు.

Word by Word

• पवित्राणाम्: of the pure (things)
• पवित्राणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवित्र
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• पवित्रम्: the purest (purifier)
• पवित्रम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवित्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• यत्: which/what
• यत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पितः: O father
• पितः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मम: my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), Parasmaipada (usage)

• तु: but/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• परमधर्मवित्: knower of the highest dharma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-धर्म-वित्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुत्राय: to (his) son
• पुत्राय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• अकथयत्: told/related
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय्
• Form: Laṅ (Imperfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्त्वेन: in truth/accurately
• तत्त्वेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• भरतर्षभ: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Vyasa
• Shuka (Shukadeva)
• Bharatas (as a lineage/collective)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse establishes the ethical-spiritual problem: among all means of purification, there is a supreme purifier. It emphasizes sincere inquiry and the role of a qualified teacher (Vyasa, 'knower of highest dharma') who responds with a complete and truthful explanation (tattvena).

What is happening in the narrative?

A son (Shuka) asks his father (Vyasa) to identify and explain the most purifying principle or practice. The narrator addresses the listener as 'bharatarṣabha' and reports that Vyasa, renowned for dharma-knowledge, proceeds to teach his son in full detail.