Shloka 1

कपिलगोसंवादे गृहस्थ-त्यागधर्मयोः प्रमाण्यविचारः

Kapila–Cow Dialogue: Authority of Householder and Renunciant Dharmas

Devanagari script

/ ऑपनआ प्रात छा अ--काज जा एकषघष्ट्यवथिकद्विशततमो< ध्याय: जाजलिकी घोर तपस्या

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca |

atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam |

tulādhārasya vākyāni dharme jājalinā saha ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Ở đây nữa, ta sẽ dẫn một truyền tích cổ xưa. Đó là những lời bàn về Dharma của thương nhân Tulādhāra trong cuộc đối thoại với vị khổ hạnh Jājali.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'bhīṣma uvāca', 'definition': 'Bhishma said'}, {'term': 'atra api', 'definition': 'here also

• in this context as well'}, {'term': 'udāharanti', 'definition': "they cite

• one cites as an example (idiomatically: 'I will relate')"}, {'term': 'imam', 'definition': 'this'}, {'term': 'itihāsam', 'definition': 'traditional account

• ancient narrative/legend'}, {'term': 'purātanam', 'definition': 'ancient

• of old'}, {'term': 'tulādhārasya', 'definition': 'of Tulādhāra (a merchant, exemplar of dharma)'}, {'term': 'vākyāni', 'definition': 'statements

• words'}, {'term': 'dharme', 'definition': 'concerning dharma

• in matters of righteousness/ethical duty'}, {'term': 'jājalinā saha', 'definition': 'together with Jājali

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Tulādhāra
• Jājali
• Dharma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma frames dharma as best understood through lived examples: an ancient dialogue where a householder-merchant (Tulādhāra) instructs an ascetic (Jājali), implying that ethical clarity and humility can surpass mere austerity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma introduces an old illustrative story: the forthcoming section will present Tulādhāra’s words on dharma delivered in a discussion with the sage Jājali.