Shloka 1

Devanagari script

ऑपनआक्रात बछ। अड्--क्ाज पज्चषष्टर्याधेकशततमो& ध्याय: नित्यस्मरणीय देवता

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca—śarat-talpa-gataṃ Bhīṣmaṃ Pāṇḍavo ’tha Kurūdvahaḥ | Yudhiṣṭhiro hitaṃ prepsur apṛcchat kalmaṣāpaham ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Bấy giờ Yudhiṣṭhira, con của Pāṇḍu, bậc đứng đầu nhà Kuru, mong cầu điều lợi ích chân thật, đã hỏi Bhīṣma khi ngài nằm trên giường mũi tên—về một đề tài có năng lực tẩy trừ ô nhiễm đạo đức và tội lỗi.

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaishampayana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• शर-तल्प-गतम्: lying on the bed of arrows
• शर-तल्प-गतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरतल्पगत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पाण्डवः: the Pandava (Yudhishthira)
• पाण्डवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• कुरु-उद्गवः: the foremost of the Kurus
• कुरु-उद्गवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरूद्गव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हितम्: welfare, benefit
• हितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रेप्सुः: desiring to obtain
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेप्सु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपृच्छत्: asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular

• कल्मष-अपहम्: sin-destroying (topic/teaching)
• कल्मष-अपहम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कल्मषापह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīṣma
• Pāṇḍavas
• Kuru dynasty
• bed of arrows (śara-talpa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames dharma-inquiry as a deliberate pursuit of true welfare (hita) and moral purification (kalmaṣāpaha). It signals that ethical clarity and removal of inner taint are sought through respectful questioning of a realized elder, especially after the devastations of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the war, Bhīṣma lies on the bed of arrows. Yudhiṣṭhira, as the leading Kuru and newly responsible ruler, approaches him and asks a question aimed at dispelling sin/impurity—introducing the ensuing instruction of Anuśāsana Parva.