Shloka 19

Adhyāya 39 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on attachment (saṅga) and relational restraint

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच श्रुत्वैतद्‌ वचन शक्रो दानवेन्द्रमुखाच्च्युतम्‌ । द्विजान्‌ सम्पूजयामास महेन्द्रत्वमवाप च

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca śrutvaitad vacanaṃ śakro dānavendramukhāccyutam | dvijān sampūjayāmāsa mahendratvam avāpa ca ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：噢，婆罗多啊，天神释迦（因陀罗）听闻这番话出自达那婆之主（商婆罗）之口，便礼敬供养婆罗门；由此善行，他得证“摩诃因陀罗”之位。此段昭示：敬重博学而正直之人，乃通向崇高王权与神圣昌盛的直接因缘。

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Absolutive (ktvā), Active

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• शक्रः: Shakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दानवेन्द्रमुखात्: from the mouth of the lord of Danavas
• दानवेन्द्रमुखात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानवेन्द्रमुख
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• च्युतम्: uttered, fallen forth (spoken)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: च्युत
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• द्विजान्: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सम्पूजयामास: honoured, worshipped
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज्
• Form: Periphrastic perfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महेन्द्रत्वम्: the status of Mahendra (lordship of Indra)
• महेन्द्रत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेन्द्रत्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अवाप: obtained, attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Bharata (address to the listener, i.e., Yudhishthira)
• Shakra (Indra)
• Danavendra (lord of the Danavas)
• Shambara
• Dvijas (Brahmins)
• Mahendra (status/title)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Honoring the dvijas (Brahmins/the Vedic learned) is presented as a powerful dharmic act that yields sovereignty and exalted status; Indra’s attainment of Mahendra-hood is linked causally to his respectful worship of Brahmins.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that Indra (Śakra), after hearing counsel spoken by the Danava-king Śambara, proceeded to honor the Brahmins; as a result of this dharmic conduct, he attained the rank and glory of Mahendra.