Shloka 29

Śrāddha-Kalpa: Pitṛ-Pūjā and Tithi-Phala (श्राद्धकल्पः पितृपूजा च तिथिफलम्)

Devanagari script

इतिहासमिमं चापि शूणु राजन्‌ पुरातनम्‌

Transliteration

itihāsam imaṃ cāpi śṛṇu rājan purātanam

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“大王啊，也请听我讲这一则古老的史传。”

Word by Word

• इतिहासम्: history, ancient tale
• इतिहासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतिहास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• शृणु: hear, listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पुरातनम्: ancient, old
• पुरातनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरातन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• King (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma frames moral instruction through itihāsa—an authoritative ancient narrative—implying that dharma is best understood not only through rules but through remembered examples and precedents.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva discourse, Bhīṣma addresses the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) and introduces an old story, signaling a transition into an illustrative episode meant to clarify ethical or royal duty.