Shloka 1

स्त्रीस्वभावप्रश्नः — Nārada and Pañcacūḍā on Strī-svabhāva

Anuśāsana-parva 38

Devanagari script

अपन क्ाा बा अकाल पज्चत्रिशो<्ध्याय: ब्रह्माजीके द्वारा ब्राह्म॒णोंकी महत्ताका वर्णन भीष्म उवाच जन्मनैव महाभागो ब्राह्मणो नाम जायते । नमस्य: सर्वभूतानामतिथि: प्रसृताग्रभुक्‌,भीष्मजी कहते हैं--युधिष्ठटिर! ब्राह्मण जन्मसे ही महान्‌ भाग्यशाली, समस्त प्राणियोंका वन्दनीय, अतिथि और प्रथम भोजन पानेका अधिकारी है

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | janmanaiva mahābhāgo brāhmaṇo nāma jāyate | namasyaḥ sarvabhūtānām atithiḥ prasṛtāgrabhuk ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا— اے یدھشٹھِر! برہمن پیدائش ہی سے ‘برہمن’ کہلاتا ہے اور نہایت بخت آور سمجھا جاتا ہے۔ وہ سب جانداروں کے لیے قابلِ تعظیم ہے؛ مہمان کی حیثیت سے ادب و احترام کے ساتھ پذیرا ہونا چاہیے، اور کھانے میں پہلا حصہ اسی کا حق ہے۔

Word by Word

• {'janmanā eva': 'by birth alone

• from the very moment of birth', 'mahābhāgaḥ': 'highly fortunate

• eminent', 'brāhmaṇaḥ': 'a Brahmin

• member of the priestly/learned class', 'nāma': 'by name

• indeed', 'jāyate': 'is born

• comes into being', 'namasyaḥ': 'worthy of salutation

• to be revered', 'sarvabhūtānām': 'of all beings/creatures', 'atithiḥ': 'guest (especially one who arrives unannounced)

• one to be hosted', 'prasṛta': 'a handful/measure of food offered with an outstretched hand

• portion', 'agra-bhuk': 'first-eater

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahmin

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches a dharmic ideal of honoring Brahmins and upholding atithi-dharma (the duty of hospitality), including giving respectful reception and offering the first portion of food as a sign of reverence and social-ritual priority.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma addresses Yudhishthira and begins a discourse praising the status and duties owed to Brahmins, establishing them as venerable guests and recipients of foremost offerings.