Shloka 4

Kīṭopākhyāna: Prajā-pālana as Kṣatra-vrata and the Attainment of Brāhmaṇya

Devanagari script

सर्व तत्त्वेन धर्मज्ञ यथावदिह धर्मतः । कि च भक्ष्यमभक्ष्यं वा सर्वमेतद्‌ वदस्व मे

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

Sarvaṁ tattvena dharmajña yathāvad iha dharmataḥ |

Kiṁ ca bhakṣyam abhakṣyaṁ vā sarvam etad vadasva me, dharmajña pitāmaha ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira nói: “Bạch bậc thông tỏ dharma, xin Ngài giảng cho con tại đây, trọn vẹn trong chân lý và theo đúng thứ tự, mọi điều phù hợp với chính đạo. Lại xin cho biết vật gì đáng ăn và vật gì không đáng ăn—xin tuyên bày tất cả cho con, bạch Ông nội minh triết về dharma.”

Word by Word

• सर्वम्: all (things)
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्त्वेन: in truth; truly
• तत्त्वेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• धर्मज्ञ: O knower of dharma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यथावत्: properly; correctly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्

• इह: here; in this matter
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• धर्मतः: according to dharma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धर्म
• Form: ablatival adverb (tasil)

• किम्: and what; moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम्

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

• भक्ष्यम्: edible; fit to be eaten
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ष्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अभक्ष्यम्: inedible; not fit to be eaten
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभक्ष्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• सर्वम्: all (this)
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वदस्व: tell; speak
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: Lot (imperative), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• धर्मज्ञ: O knower of dharma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पितामह: O grandsire
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: Yudhiṣṭhira requests a truthful, orderly exposition of righteous conduct, specifically including guidance on permissible and impermissible foods—linking ethical life to disciplined daily practice.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction setting, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma as the authoritative elder on dharma and asks him to clarify comprehensive rules of conduct, with a focused question about what may or may not be eaten.