Shloka 8

भृगु–भरद्वाजसंवादः: वर्णभेदस्य कर्माधारितव्याख्या

Bhrigu–Bharadvaja Dialogue: A Karma-Based Account of Varṇa

Devanagari script

मसहाभारत&«>«» काश्यप ब्राह्मणके प्रति गीदड़के रूपमें इन्द्रका उपदेश इन्द्रको पहचाननेपर काश्यपद्वारा उनकी पूजा मनुष्ययोनिमिच्छन्ति सर्वभूतानि सर्वशः । मनुष्यत्वे च विप्रत्व॑ं सर्व एवाभिनन्दति

Transliteration

manuṣya-yonim icchanti sarva-bhūtāni sarvaśaḥ | manuṣyatve ca vipratvaṁ sarva evābhinandati ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: “Hỡi bậc hiền triết, muôn loài bằng mọi cách đều khao khát được sinh làm người. Và ngay trong kiếp người, ai nấy cũng ca ngợi, tôn vinh địa vị Bà-la-môn.”

Word by Word

• {'manuṣya-yoni': 'human womb

• the human state of existence', 'icchanti': 'they desire

• they wish for', 'sarva-bhūtāni': 'all beings

• all creatures', 'sarvaśaḥ': 'in every way

• from all sides', 'manuṣyatve': 'in (the condition of) humanity

• among human births', 'ca': 'and

• also', 'vipratvam': 'brahminhood

• the status/condition of a brāhmaṇa', 'sarvaḥ (sarva eva)': 'everyone

• all people indeed', 'abhinandati': 'approves

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (Bhīṣma)
• Muni (sage; addressed interlocutor)
• All beings (sarva-bhūtāni)
• Human birth (manuṣya-yoni)
• Brahminhood (vipratva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates human birth as a universally desired condition because it enables conscious moral choice and spiritual striving; within that, brahminhood is praised as an ideal associated with learning, self-restraint, and dharmic responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s discourse to the listener addressed as “muni,” he frames a teaching about the hierarchy of births: all beings aspire to be born human, and among humans the brahmin ideal is widely esteemed—setting up a broader reflection on dharma and right conduct.