Shloka 8

भृगु–भरद्वाजसंवादः: वर्णभेदस्य कर्माधारितव्याख्या

Bhrigu–Bharadvaja Dialogue: A Karma-Based Account of Varṇa

Devanagari script

मसहाभारत&«>«» काश्यप ब्राह्मणके प्रति गीदड़के रूपमें इन्द्रका उपदेश इन्द्रको पहचाननेपर काश्यपद्वारा उनकी पूजा मनुष्ययोनिमिच्छन्ति सर्वभूतानि सर्वशः । मनुष्यत्वे च विप्रत्व॑ं सर्व एवाभिनन्दति

Transliteration

manuṣya-yonim icchanti sarva-bhūtāni sarvaśaḥ | manuṣyatve ca vipratvaṁ sarva evābhinandati ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“噢，牟尼啊，一切众生无不以种种方式渴望得人身；而在人身之中，众人又皆称颂并赞叹婆罗门之位。”

Word by Word

• {'manuṣya-yoni': 'human womb

• the human state of existence', 'icchanti': 'they desire

• they wish for', 'sarva-bhūtāni': 'all beings

• all creatures', 'sarvaśaḥ': 'in every way

• from all sides', 'manuṣyatve': 'in (the condition of) humanity

• among human births', 'ca': 'and

• also', 'vipratvam': 'brahminhood

• the status/condition of a brāhmaṇa', 'sarvaḥ (sarva eva)': 'everyone

• all people indeed', 'abhinandati': 'approves

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (Bhīṣma)
• Muni (sage; addressed interlocutor)
• All beings (sarva-bhūtāni)
• Human birth (manuṣya-yoni)
• Brahminhood (vipratva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates human birth as a universally desired condition because it enables conscious moral choice and spiritual striving; within that, brahminhood is praised as an ideal associated with learning, self-restraint, and dharmic responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s discourse to the listener addressed as “muni,” he frames a teaching about the hierarchy of births: all beings aspire to be born human, and among humans the brahmin ideal is widely esteemed—setting up a broader reflection on dharma and right conduct.