Shloka 2

युधिष्ठिरप्रश्नः—विश्वामित्रस्य ब्राह्मणत्वकौतूहलम् | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry on Viśvāmitra’s Attainment of Brāhmaṇya

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत अनुशासनपर्वके अन्तर्गत दानधर्मपर्वमें सुदर्शनका उपाख्यानविषयक दूसरा अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

viśvāmitreṇa dharmātman brāhmaṇatvaṃ nararṣabha | śrotum icchāmi tattvena tan me brūhi pitāmaha ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira hỏi: “Ôi ông nội chí đức, bậc trượng phu giữa loài người—làm sao Viśvāmitra, bậc đại hồn sinh trong dòng Kṣatriya, lại đạt được Bà-la-môn tính chân thật, khi điều ấy vô cùng khó đối với ba giai tầng còn lại? Con muốn nghe đúng như thực; xin Người nói cho con, thưa Ông.”

Word by Word

• विश्वामित्रेण: by Viśvāmitra
• विश्वामित्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वामित्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• धर्मात्मन्: O righteous-souled one
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणत्वम्: Brahminhood
• ब्राह्मणत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणत्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नरर्षभ: O bull among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• इच्छामि: I wish/desire
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• ब्रूहि: tell (you)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Viśvāmitra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a key Mahābhārata concern: whether spiritual and ethical excellence (brāhmaṇatva as a quality) can be attained through truth, discipline, and dharma rather than being fixed solely by birth. Yudhiṣṭhira seeks the ‘tattva’—the real principle behind Viśvāmitra’s rise.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira questions Bhīṣma about Viśvāmitra: despite being born a Kṣatriya, he is renowned as a brāhmaṇa-rṣi. Yudhiṣṭhira asks Bhīṣma to explain how this transformation occurred and what it truly signifies.