Shloka 2

Adhyaya 1 — Jaimini’s Questions on the Mahabharata and the Origin of the Wise Birds

Sanskrit

भगवान् भारताख्यानं व्यासेनोक्तं महात्मना ।

पूर्णमस्तमलैः शुभ्रैर्नानाशास्त्रसमुच्चयैः ॥

Transliteration

bhagavān bhāratākhyānaṃ vyāsenoktaṃ mahātmanā | pūrṇam astamalaiḥ śubhrair nānāśāstra-samuccayaiḥ ||

Translation

Ang kagalang-galang na salaysay ng Mahābhārata, na binigkas ni Vyāsa na may dakilang kaluluwa, ay ganap na—maliwanag at walang dungis—isang kalipunang nagtitipon ng maraming sangay ng banal na kaalaman.

Word by Word

• bhagavān: the Blessed one (sir)
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhārata-ākhyānam: the Bhārata narrative
• bhārata-ākhyānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārata + ākhyāna (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); 'the narrative called Bhārata'

• vyāsena: by Vyāsa
• vyāsena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• uktam: spoken, composed
• uktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ukta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √vac धातु)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (क्त) qualifying 'bhāratākhyānam'

• mahātmanā: by the great-souled one
• mahātmanā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); epithet of Vyāsa

• pūrṇam: complete, full
• pūrṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective of 'bhāratākhyānam'

• asta-malaiḥ: with stains removed
• asta-malaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asta + mala (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); 'with impurities removed' qualifying 'samuccayaiḥ'

• śubraiḥ: bright, pure
• śubraiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubhra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying 'samuccayaiḥ'

• nānā-śāstra-samuccayaiḥ: by collections of various treatises
• nānā-śāstra-samuccayaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nānā + śāstra + samuccaya (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); means/instrumental of fullness

Speakers

• Frame narrator context (opening praise of Vyāsa’s Bhārata); specific interlocutors not explicit in this verse

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Itihasa as compendium of Dharma
• Authority of Vyasa
• Purity/completeness of scripture
• Intertextuality (śāstra-synthesis)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse asserts the Mahābhārata’s normative authority: it is portrayed as a complete and purified synthesis of many śāstric disciplines, implying that dharma and right conduct can be reliably learned through the Itihāsa tradition as curated by Vyāsa.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse functions as framing/authorization rather than a direct pancalakṣaṇa topic. Indirectly, it supports the Purāṇic method of grounding teachings in recognized sources (Itihāsa/śāstra). It does not itself describe sarga, pratisarga, vaṃśa, manvantara, or vaṃśānucarita.

What is the esoteric significance?

Calling the Bhārata ‘stainless’ and ‘bright’ suggests scripture as a clarifying mirror: when ‘mala’ (inner impurity/ignorance) is removed, knowledge becomes luminous. The Mahābhārata is presented as a unifying vessel where diverse teachings converge into a single, coherent path of understanding dharma.