Shloka 2

Devanagari script

देयं समाप्ते भगवन्‌ किं च पर्वणि पर्वणि । वाचक: कीदृशश्षात्र एष्टव्यस्तद्‌ वदस्व मे

Transliteration

janamejaya uvāca | deyaṃ samāpte bhagavan kiṃ ca parvaṇi parvaṇi | vācakaḥ kīdṛśaś cātra eṣṭavyas tad vadasva me ||

Translation

Janamejaya thưa: “Bạch tôn giả, khi hoàn tất (kỳ tụng đọc) thì nên bố thí vật gì? Và khi kết thúc từng parvan (từng quyển/phần) thì nên bố thí gì? Lại nữa, người kể tụng (vācaka) cho thiên truyện thiêng này nên là người như thế nào? Xin hãy nói cho con biết.”

Word by Word

• देयम्: to be given / what should be given
• देयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• समाप्ते: when (it is) finished / at the completion
• समाप्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाप्त
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• भगवन्: O Blessed one / O Lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

• पर्वणि: in/at a parvan (section)
• पर्वणि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• पर्वणि: in each parvan (repetition for distributive sense)
• पर्वणि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वाचकः: the reciter / narrator
• वाचकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाचक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कीदृशः: of what kind?
• कीदृशः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीदृश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शास्त्रः: scripture / treatise (intended: 'learned in śāstra')
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एष्टव्यः: to be desired / to be chosen
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्टव्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• वदस्व: tell (me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janamejaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharma in the form of disciplined listening/recitation: sacred study is not merely textual but is completed through proper giving (dāna) and by choosing a qualified, trustworthy narrator. It implies that transmission of the Mahābhārata should be ethically grounded—supported by generosity and guided by a competent speaker.

What is happening in the narrative?

King Janamejaya, continuing his inquiry to the sage, asks practical details about conducting a Mahābhārata recitation: what donations should be offered at the end of the whole recital and at the end of each parvan, and what qualities the appointed reciter should possess.