Shloka 97

अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायः (Anukramaṇikā Adhyāya) — Invocation, Narrator Frame, and Textual Scope

Devanagari script

अब्रवीद्‌ भारतं॑ लोके मानुषे5स्मिन्‌ महानृषि: । जनमेजयेन पृष्ट: सन्‌ ब्राह्मणैश्व सहस्रश:

Transliteration

abravīd bhārataṁ loke mānuṣe 'smin mahānṛṣiḥ | janamejayena pṛṣṭaḥ san brāhmaṇaiś ca sahasraśaḥ ||

Translation

Vị đại hiền triết đã tuyên thuyết Bhārata trong cõi người này—khi được vua Janamejaya thỉnh hỏi, và lại được hàng ngàn bà-la-môn nhiều lần vấn nạn. Bởi vậy, sử thi được trình bày như một giáo huấn thiêng liêng, được nói ra để đáp lại sự cầu học chân thành, nhằm dẫn dắt xã hội về đạo lý và đời sống tâm linh.

Word by Word

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (वचने)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, 3, singular

• भारतं: the Bhārata (epic)
• भारतं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• मानुषे: among humans / in the human (world)
• मानुषे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• महानृषिः: the great sage
• महानृषिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महानृषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• जनमेजयेन: by Janamejaya
• जनमेजयेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनमेजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• पृष्टः: having been asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (प्रश्ने) → पृच्छ्; क्त-प्रत्यय (पृष्ट)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• सन्: being
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (भुवि) → सत् (शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• ब्राह्मणैः: by the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

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

• सहस्रशः: by thousands / in thousands
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata (Mahābhārata)
• Janamejaya
• Mahānṛṣi (the great sage-narrator)
• Brāhmaṇas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sacred knowledge is transmitted through respectful questioning and authoritative narration: the Bhārata is presented as a dharma-guiding text spoken by a great sage in response to sincere inquiry from a king and learned brāhmaṇas.

What is happening in the narrative?

The verse situates the Mahābhārata’s telling: a great sage narrates the Bhārata in the human world after being questioned by King Janamejaya, with many brāhmaṇas also seeking the account.