Shloka 1

Devanagari script

ऑपन--माजल बछ। अकाल सप्ततितमो<ध्याय: भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णके विभिन्न नामोंकी व्युत्पत्तियोंका कथन धृतराष्ट उवाच भूयो मे पुण्डरीकाक्षं संजयाचक्ष्व पृच्छत: । नामकर्मार्थिवित्‌ तात प्राप्तुयां पुरुषोत्तमम्‌,धृतराष्ट्र बोले--संजय! तुम भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णके नाम और कर्मोका अभिप्राय जानते हो, अतः मेरे प्रश्नके अनुसार एक बार पुनः कमलनयन भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णका वर्णन करो

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | bhūyo me puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ sañjayācakṣva pṛcchataḥ | nāma-karmārtha-vit tāta prāptuṃ yāṃ puruṣottamam ||

Translation

ధృతరాష్ట్రుడు అన్నాడు—సంజయా, నేను అడుగుతున్నాను; మరొకసారి కమలనేత్రుడైన భగవాన్ శ్రీకృష్ణుని వర్ణించు. తాతా, నీవు ఆయన నామములూ కర్మలూ గల అంతర్మర్మాన్ని తెలిసినవాడవు; కాబట్టి ఆ పురుషోత్తముని ఎలా పొందగలమో చెప్పు.

Word by Word

• भूयः: again; further; once more
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्
• Form: avyaya (comparative adverb)

• मे: to me / for me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: genitive, singular (also used as dative in some contexts)

• पुण्डरीकाक्षम्: the lotus-eyed (one)
• पुण्डरीकाक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: पुण्डरीकाक्ष
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• संजय: O Sañjaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• आचक्ष्व: tell; describe
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चक्ष्
• Form: imperative, 2nd person, singular, parasmaipada

• पृच्छतः: of (me) asking; of the questioner
• Type: Participle (Adjective)
• Root: पृच्छत्
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular (present active participle used substantively)

• नाम: names
• नाम: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन्
• Form: neuter, accusative, plural (form identical to nominative/accusative singular in some paradigms; here taken as plural with कर्माणि)

• कर्माणि: deeds; actions
• कर्माणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: neuter, accusative, plural

• अर्थवित्: knowing the meaning/purport
• अर्थवित्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्थविद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तात: dear one; son (term of address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• प्राप्तुयाम्: to obtain; to reach
• Type: Verb (Infinitive)
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: tumun-infinitive (irregular/variant form for प्राप्तुम्)

• पुरुषोत्तमम्: the सर्वोत्तम पुरुष; the Supreme Person
• पुरुषोत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: पुरुषोत्तम
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Sañjaya
• Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Puruṣottama (the Supreme Person)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames spiritual inquiry as seeking the ‘meaning’ (artha) behind the Lord’s names and actions, implying that understanding and contemplation of divine qualities is a pathway toward attaining the Supreme Person (puruṣottama).

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra requests Sañjaya to again describe Śrī Kṛṣṇa—specifically the significance of his names and deeds—indicating Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s continued dependence on Sañjaya’s insight to grasp Kṛṣṇa’s greatness and the means of reaching him.