Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 1

उपवासविधि-प्रश्नः

Inquiry into the Discipline of Fasting

Devanagari script

(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठके ९३ “लोक मिलाकर कुल १६५३ “लोक हैं) + अपने जन्मनक्षत्रसे वर्तमान नक्षत्रतक गिने

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | yathā jyeṣṭhaḥ kaniṣṭheṣu varteta bharatarṣabha | kaniṣṭhāś ca yathā jyeṣṭhe varteran tad bravīhi me ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Yudhiṣṭhira: “O toro sa mga Bharata, sabihin mo sa akin kung paano dapat kumilos ang nakatatandang kapatid na lalaki sa mga nakababatang kapatid, at kung paano naman dapat umasal ang mga nakababatang kapatid sa nakatatanda.”

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यथा: how; in what manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• ज्येष्ठः: the elder (brother)
• ज्येष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कनिष्ठेषु: towards/among the younger (brothers)
• कनिष्ठेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• वर्तेत: should behave
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: Optative, 3, Singular, Atmanepada

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas (best of Bharatas)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरतर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कनिष्ठाः: the younger (brothers)
• कनिष्ठाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• यथा: how; in what manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• ज्येष्ठे: towards/in the elder (brother)
• ज्येष्ठे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वर्तेरन्: should behave
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: Optative, 3, Plural, Atmanepada

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

• ब्रवीहि: tell (me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, 2, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

Speaker

युधिषछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bharatarṣabha (epithet of Bhīṣma in this context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharma-question about reciprocal duties within a sibling hierarchy: the elder must act with responsibility and care toward juniors, and the juniors must respond with proper respect and cooperation toward the elder.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-setting, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses the revered elder (here invoked as “Bharatarṣabha”) and requests guidance on the proper norms of behavior between elder and younger brothers.