Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एतावदुक्त्वा वचन धृतराष्ट्र मनीषिणम्‌ । वासुदेव॑ महाबाहुम भ्यभाषत कौरव:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | etāvad uktvā vacanaṁ dhṛtarāṣṭraṁ manīṣiṇam | vāsudevaṁ mahābāhuṁ abhyabhāṣata kauravaḥ ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说道：对睿智的持国说完这些话后，俱卢族的长者便转而对臂力无双的婆苏提婆（圣克里希那）如此说道——由劝诫国王，转为向神圣的引导者陈情。

Word by Word

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

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

• एतावत्: this much, so much
• एतावत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतावत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active

• वचनम्: speech, words
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Dhritarashtra
• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मनीषिणम्: wise (man)
• मनीषिणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनीषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वासुदेवम्: Vasudeva (Krishna)
• वासुदेवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महाबाहुम्: mighty-armed
• महाबाहुम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्यभाषत: addressed, spoke to
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष्
• Form: Imperfect, 3, Singular

• कौरवः: the Kuru (scion of Kuru; here Bhishma)
• कौरवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Kaurava (Kuru elder/Bhīṣma by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse signals an ethical pivot: counsel offered to a worldly ruler (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) is followed by direct address to Vāsudeva, implying that dharma is not only debated intellectually but also sought from the highest moral and spiritual authority for decisive guidance.

What is happening in the narrative?

After finishing his statement to the wise Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the Kuru elder (understood in context as Bhīṣma) turns and begins speaking to Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva), marking a transition from advising the king to engaging the divine counselor.