Shloka 23

Adhyāya 272: Vṛtrasya Dharmiṣṭhatā, Indrasya Mohaḥ, Vasiṣṭha-upadeśaḥ

Vṛtra’s dharmic stature; Indra’s disorientation; Vasiṣṭha’s counsel

Devanagari script

एतत्‌ ते कथितं तात यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि । पापं धर्मस्तथा मोक्षो निर्वेदश्नैव भारत,तात! भरतनन्दन! तुमने मुझसे पाप, धर्म, वैराग्य और मोक्षके विषयमें जो प्रश्न किया था, वह सब मैंने कह सुनाया

Transliteration

etat te kathitaṃ tāta yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi | pāpaṃ dharmas tathā mokṣo nirvedaś caiva bhārata ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—తాతా, ఓ భారతా! పాపము, ధర్మము, మోక్షము మరియు నిర్వేదము (వైరాగ్యము) గురించి నీవు నన్ను ఏది అడిగితివో, అది సమస్తము నేను నీకు చెప్పితిని.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (all/this matter)
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• कथितम्: told/related
• कथितम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• तात: dear son / dear one
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यत्: which/that (which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• परिपृच्छसि: you ask (fully/in detail)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-प्रच्छ्
• Form: Present, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पापम्: sin/evil
• पापम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: and also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• मोक्षः: liberation
• मोक्षः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निर्वेदः: dispassion/indifference (to worldly things)
• निर्वेदः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वेद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

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

• भारत: O Bharata (descendant of Bharata)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhārata (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse serves as Bhīṣma’s concluding assurance: he has fully answered the inquiry by laying out a moral-spiritual map—what constitutes pāpa (wrong), what is dharma (right conduct), and how nirveda (disenchantment) supports the pursuit of mokṣa (liberation).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira has questioned Bhīṣma on foundational ethical and liberative topics. Bhīṣma, speaking as the elder instructor, closes a section by stating that he has now explained everything asked regarding sin, righteousness, dispassion, and liberation.