Shloka 2

शक्र उवाच कि स्विदेकपदं ब्रह्मन्‌ पुरुष: सम्यगाचरन्‌ । प्रमाणं सर्वभूतानां यशश्रैवाप्रुयान्महत्‌,इन्द्रने पूछा--ब्रह्मन! वह कौन-सी ऐसी एक वस्तु है, जिसका नाम एक ही पदका है और जिसका भलीभाँति आचरण करनेवाला पुरुष समस्त प्राणियोंका प्रिय होकर महान्‌ यश प्राप्त कर लेता है

śakra uvāca: kiṁ svid ekapadaṁ brahman puruṣaḥ samyag ācaran | pramāṇaṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ yaśaś caivāpnuyān mahat ||

شکر (اِندر) نے پوچھا—اے برہمن! وہ کون سا ایک لفظی اصول ہے جس پر آدمی درست طور پر عمل کرے تو وہ تمام جانداروں کے لیے معیار بن جائے اور عظیم شہرت حاصل کرے؟

शक्रःŚakra (Indra)
शक्रः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशक्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
किम्what?
किम्:
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
स्वित्indeed / I wonder (interrogative particle)
स्वित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस्वित्
एकपदम्single-word (single term)
एकपदम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootएकपद
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
ब्रह्मन्O Brahmin / O sage
ब्रह्मन्:
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
पुरुषःa man
पुरुषः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सम्यक्properly, rightly
सम्यक्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसम्यक्
आचरन्practising, observing
आचरन्:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-चर्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रमाणम्authority/standard; measure
प्रमाणम्:
TypeNoun
Rootप्रमाण
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
सर्वभूतानाम्of all beings
सर्वभूतानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootसर्वभूत
FormNeuter, Genitive, Plural
यशःfame, glory
यशः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootयशस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एवindeed, surely
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
आप्नुयात्would attain
आप्नुयात्:
TypeVerb
Rootआप्
FormOptative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
महत्great
महत्:
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular

शक्र उवाच

Ś
Śakra (Indra)
B
Brahman (addressed sage)

Educational Q&A

The verse frames an ethical inquiry: there exists a concise, single-term virtue whose proper practice makes a person exemplary (pramāṇa) to all beings and brings lasting renown. It emphasizes that true fame is grounded in right conduct rather than power or status.

Indra (Śakra) addresses a brahmin/sage and asks a pointed question: identify the ‘one-word’ principle that, when lived correctly, makes one beloved and authoritative among creatures and yields great fame. The verse sets up a didactic response about a central moral virtue.