Shloka 1

ब्राह्मण–क्षत्रिय-श्रेष्ठता-विवादः

Arjuna–Vāyu Dialogue on Brāhmaṇa and Kṣatriya Precedence

Devanagari script

ऑपन-माजल बछ। जज द्वात्रिशर्दाधिकशततमो< ध्याय: दिग्गजोंका धर्मसम्बन्धी रहस्य एवं प्रभाव भीष्म उवाच ततः पद्मप्रतीकाश: पद्मोद्भूत: पितामह: । उवाच वचन देवान्‌ वासवं च शचीपतिम्‌

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca: tataḥ padmapratīkāśaḥ padmodbhūtaḥ pitāmahaḥ | uvāca vacanaṃ devān vāsavaṃ ca śacīpatim ||

Translation

Bhīṣma thưa: “Tâu Đại vương! Sau đó, Đấng Tổ phụ—Phạm Thiên (Brahmā) sinh từ hoa sen, rực rỡ như hoa sen—đã nói với chư thiên và cả Vāsava (Indra), phu quân của Śacī, những lời như sau.”

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• ततः: then/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• पद्म-प्रतीकाशः: lotus-like in appearance
• पद्म-प्रतीकाशः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्मप्रतीकाश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पद्म-उद्भूतः: born from the lotus
• पद्म-उद्भूतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्मोद्भूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पितामहः: the Grandsire (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• वचनम्: words/speech
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वासवम्: Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• शची-पतिम्: the husband of Śacī (Indra)
• शची-पतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शचीपति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha, Padmodbhūta)
• Devas
• Indra (Vāsava, Śacīpati)
• Śacī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse sets an ethical frame of instruction: authoritative dharma-knowledge is conveyed through a revered elder (Brahmā) addressing the gods and Indra, implying that right conduct and its ‘secrets/effects’ are grounded in divine and traditional authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma transitions into a new episode: Brahmā, described as lotus-born and lotus-radiant, begins a formal address to the assembled gods and to Indra (Śacī’s lord), introducing the discourse that follows in the chapter.