Shloka 5

नारद–असित (देवल) संवादः — भूतप्रभवाप्यय, इन्द्रिय-गुण-विवेक, क्षेत्रज्ञ-तत्त्व

Devanagari script

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्‌ । कपिलस्य गोश्व॒ संवाद तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर

Transliteration

atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṁ purātanam | kapilasya gośva-saṁvādaṁ tan nibodha yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

“在此我也将援引一则古老传说为例。尤迪施提罗啊，请专注聆听迦毗罗与牛与马之间的对话——此乃为阐明达摩而举出的教诲之事。”

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र
• Form: indeclinable (place/locative adverb)

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: indeclinable (particle)

• उदाहरन्ति: they cite/they narrate (as an example)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्+आ+हृ
• Form: present tense (laṭ), parasmaipada, 3rd person plural

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• इतिहासम्: ancient tale/legend
• इतिहासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इतिहास
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• पुरातनम्: ancient/old
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरातन
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular (agreeing with इतिहासम्)

• कपिलस्य: of Kapila
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• गो: cow
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: feminine, genitive, singular (in sense: 'of the cow')

• अश्व: horse
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular (in sense: 'of the horse')

• संवादम्: dialogue/conversation
• संवादम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवाद
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• निबोध: understand/learn (listen attentively)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+बुध्
• Form: imperative (loṭ), parasmaipada, 2nd person singular

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिर: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kapila
• Cow (Go)
• Horse (Aśva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma signals that dharma is best clarified through time-tested exemplars: an ancient itihāsa is introduced so that Yudhiṣṭhira may grasp ethical principles through a concrete dialogue rather than abstract theory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, addressing Yudhiṣṭhira, announces that he will now relate an old illustrative story—specifically, a dialogue involving the sage Kapila and the cow and horse—and urges Yudhiṣṭhira to listen carefully.