Shloka 18

मातङ्ग–शक्रसंवादः

Mataṅga–Śakra Dialogue on Tapas, Status, and Moral Qualities

Devanagari script

युधिछ्िर उवाच के देशा: के जनपदा आश्रमा: के च पर्वता: । प्रकृष्टा: पुण्यत: काश्न ज्ञेया नद्य: पितामह

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: ke deśāḥ ke janapadā āśramāḥ ke ca parvatāḥ | prakṛṣṭāḥ puṇyataḥ kasmān jñeyā nadyaḥ pitāmaha ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira thưa: “Bạch Tổ phụ! Những xứ sở nào, những vương quốc nào, những đạo tràng (āśrama) nào, những núi non nào và những dòng sông nào nên được biết là thù thắng nhất xét theo công đức thiêng liêng? Dựa trên căn cứ nào mà chúng được xem là đặc biệt linh thánh?”

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• के: which?/what? (plural)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• देशाः: countries/regions
• देशाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• के: which?/what? (plural)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जनपदाः: provinces/territories
• जनपदाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनपद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आश्रमाḥ: hermitages/ashrams
• आश्रमाḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• के: which?/what? (plural)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• पर्वताः: mountains
• पर्वताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रकृष्टाः: excellent/supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकृष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पुण्यतः: in terms of merit/holiness
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुण्य

• काः: which?/what? (fem. plural)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

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

• ज्ञेयाः: to be known/should be known
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञेय
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• नद्यः: rivers
• नद्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

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

Speaker

युधिछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)
• deśa (regions)
• janapada (kingdoms/territories)
• āśrama (hermitages)
• parvata (mountains)
• nadī (rivers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry into sacred geography: holiness is not assumed merely by name or fame, but is to be understood by criteria (kasmāt)—such as association with sages, righteous conduct, sanctifying rites, and tradition—prompting Bhīṣma to articulate standards for what makes places and rivers spiritually meritorious.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions Bhīṣma (addressed as Pitāmaha) about which lands, realms, hermitages, mountains, and rivers are considered supremely holy and on what grounds they are regarded as such, setting up Bhīṣma’s ensuing discourse.