Shloka 21

Brahmacarya-Upāya: Jñāna, Śauca, and the Mind’s Role in Desire (शान्ति पर्व, अध्याय २०७)

Devanagari script

सर्वधर्मविशेषज्ञ: पुण्यकीर्तिमहायशा: । मारीच: कश्यपस्तात सर्वासामभवत्‌ पति:,तात! सम्पूर्ण धर्मोंके विशेषज्ञ, पुण्यकीर्ति, महायशस्वी मरीचिनन्दन कश्यप उन सब कन्याओंके पति हुए

Transliteration

sarvadharmaviśeṣajñaḥ puṇyakīrtimahāyaśāḥ | mārīcaḥ kaśyapas tāta sarvāsām abhavat patiḥ ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—دھرم کے تمام امتیازات کے ماہر، پاکیزہ شہرت اور عظیم جاہ و جلال والے، مَریچی کے فرزند کشیپ، اے تات، اُن سب کنواریوں کے شوہر بنے۔

Word by Word

सर्वधर्मविशेषज्ञःknower of the distinctions of all dharmas

पुण्यकीर्तिःof holy/meritorious fame

महायशाःgreatly renowned

मारीचःMarīci

कश्यपःKaśyapa

तातdear one / son (vocative address)

सर्वासाम्of all (of them)

अभवत्became / was

पतिःhusband / lord

तातdear one (vocative address)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Kaśyapa

Marīci

the maidens (kanyāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links social legitimacy (marriage/householder role) with ethical authority: a person becomes fit to uphold and organize life’s duties when he is a comprehensive knower of dharma and possesses meritorious, widely acknowledged reputation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma identifies Kaśyapa, son of Marīci, and states that he became the husband of all the maidens previously mentioned, situating the account within a genealogical/ethical description of how familial and social lines were established.