Shloka 1

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत आदिपव॑ेके अन्तर्गत चैत्ररथपर्वमें वसिष्ठोपाख्यानविषयक एक सौ इक्यासीवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ ॥/ १८१ ॥। द्वयशीर्त्याधेकशततमो< ध्याय: पाण्डवोंका धौम्यको अपना पुरोहित बनाना अर्जुन उवाच अस्माकमनुरूपो वै यः स्याद्‌ गन्धर्व वेदवित्‌ । पुरोहितस्तमाचक्ष्व सर्व हि विदितं तव,अर्जुनने कहा--गन्धर्वराज! हमारे अनुरूप जो कोई वेदवेत्ता पुरोहित हों, उनका नाम बताओ; क्‍योंकि तुम्हें सब कुछ ज्ञात है

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | asmākam anurūpo vai yaḥ syād gandharva vedavit | purohitas tam ācakṣva sarva hi viditaṃ tava ||

Translation

阿周那说道：“乾闼婆之王啊，请告知我等：谁堪为我等之祭司（purohita）——通晓吠陀，且与我等身份相称者。请说出其名，因为万事皆为你所知。”

Word by Word

अस्माकम्of us / our

अनुरूपःsuitable, fitting

वैindeed

यःwho

स्यात्may be / should be

गन्धर्वO Gandharva (king)

वेदवित्knower of the Veda

पुरोहितःpriest

तम्him

आचक्ष्वtell, name (him)

सर्वम्everything

हिfor, indeed

विदितम्known

तवto you / your

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Gandharva (Gandharva-king, addressed)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic importance of choosing a qualified purohita—one who is truly Veda-learned and appropriate to the patron’s status—showing that right ritual guidance is part of righteous governance and conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna addresses the Gandharva-king and requests that he identify a Veda-knowing priest suitable for the Pandavas, appealing to the Gandharva’s reputed omniscience.