Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 1

अहिंसा-आत्मौपम्य-उपदेशः | Instruction on Ahiṃsā and Self-Comparison Ethics

Devanagari script

अकाल दशाधिकशततमो< ध्याय: रूप-सौन्दर्य और लोकप्रियताकी प्राप्तिके लिये मार्गशीर्षमासमें चन्द्र-व्रत करनेका प्रतिपादन वैशम्पायन उवाच शरतल्पगतं भीष्मं॑ वृद्ध कुरूपितामहम्‌ | उपगम्य महाप्राज्ञ: पर्यमृच्छद्‌ युधिष्ठिर:

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca | śarat-talpa-gataṃ Bhīṣmaṃ vṛddhaṃ kuru-pitāmaham | upagamya mahā-prājñaḥ paryamṛcchad Yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：大智的由提施提罗走近躺在箭床之上的毗湿摩——俱卢族年迈的祖父——恭敬地向他发问。

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaishampayana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शरतल्पगतम्: lying on the bed of arrows
• शरतल्पगतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरतल्पगत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वृद्धम्: aged
• वृद्धम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कुरूपिताम्: disfigurement; ugliness (state)
• कुरूपिताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरूपिता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• उपगम्य: having approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (sense)

• महाप्राज्ञः: the very wise
• महाप्राज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाप्राज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पर्यमृच्छत्: questioned; asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-मृश्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kuru (dynasty)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse establishes the ethical method of learning dharma: a ruler should approach a qualified elder-teacher with humility and ask carefully. Legitimate authority and moral clarity arise from disciplined inquiry, especially after crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the war, Yudhiṣṭhira goes to Bhīṣma, who lies on the bed of arrows, and begins questioning him. This initiates a didactic sequence in which Bhīṣma instructs on dharma, conduct, and governance.