Shloka 8

Chapter 84: Brahmā’s Counsel on Tāraka, the Search for Agni, and the Genesis of Skanda

Kārttikeya

Devanagari script

पितरं परिपप्रच्छ दृष्टलोकपरावरम्‌ | को यज्ञ: सर्वयज्ञानां वरिष्ठोडभ्युपलक्ष्यते

Transliteration

pitaraṁ paripapraccha dṛṣṭa-loka-parāvaram | ko yajñaḥ sarva-yajñānāṁ variṣṭho 'bhyupalakṣyate, niṣpāpa nareśa ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Ngài (Śuka) đã hỏi phụ thân mình, bậc thấy rõ các cõi cao thấp của thế gian (quá khứ và tương lai): ‘Hỡi đức vua vô tội, tế lễ nào được nhận là tối thượng trong mọi tế lễ?’ Liên quan đến điều ấy, ta xin kể một chuyện xưa: thuở nọ, bậc đại trí Śukadeva, sau khi làm xong các nghi lễ hằng ngày và thanh tịnh cả thân lẫn tâm, đã cúi lạy phụ thân—Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, bậc hiền triết tối thượng, người thấy điều đã qua và điều sẽ đến—rồi nêu câu hỏi này.”

Word by Word

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परिपप्रच्छ: asked (repeatedly/respectfully)
• परिपप्रच्छ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दृष्ट: seen; one who has seen
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• लोक: world
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परावरम्: past and future; higher and lower (extremes)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परावर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कः: which? what?
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यज्ञः: sacrifice; yajña
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्व: of all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• यज्ञानाम्: of sacrifices
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरिष्ठः: the best; most excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ
• Form: Superlative, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उपलक्ष्यते: is perceived/recognized
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-लक्ष्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive/impersonal sense

• निष्पाप: O sinless one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्पाप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नरेश: O king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śukadeva (Śuka)
• Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa
• King (listener addressed as nareśa—Yudhiṣṭhira in context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: among all forms of yajña (sacred duty and offering), which is truly supreme. It emphasizes that ethical and spiritual priorities should be clarified through respectful questioning of realized elders, after personal purification and disciplined practice.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma begins an old illustrative story. Śukadeva, after completing his daily rites and becoming pure-minded, approaches his father Vyāsa, bows, and asks which yajña is considered the greatest among all sacrifices.