Mahabharata — Svargarohana Parva, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

जातिं देशं च सत्यं च माहात्म्यं भरतर्षभ | धर्म वृत्ति च विज्ञाय क्षत्रियाणां नराधिप

Transliteration

jātiṃ deśaṃ ca satyaṃ ca māhātmyaṃ bharatarṣabha | dharmavṛttiṃ ca vijñāya kṣatriyāṇāṃ narādhipa rājan bharataśreṣṭha ||

Translation

毗舍摩波耶那说道：“噢，婆罗多族中的雄牛，噢，大王——婆罗多一系最卓越者——既已审知刹帝利的族系与乡土、其诚实与伟大，并且明了其法（dharma）与惯常行仪，如今我将叙述：当《摩诃婆罗多》的叙事既已开讲之后，于每一品（parvan）之中，应当向婆罗门献上何等供养。”

Word by Word

• जातिम्: caste/lineage
• जातिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• देशम्: country/region
• देशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• सत्यम्: truthfulness/true state
• सत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness/glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• धर्मम्: duty/righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वृत्तिम्: conduct/way of life
• वृत्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

• विज्ञाय: having known/understood
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• क्षत्रियाणाम्: of the Kshatriyas
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• नराधिप: O ruler of men (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-अधिप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bharata (dynasty)
• kṣatriyas
• brāhmaṇas
• king (addressed interlocutor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical narration as grounded in dharma: understanding a ruler’s lineage, land, truthfulness, and greatness, along with kṣatriya norms, guides proper conduct—here expressed as appropriate, parvan-specific offerings to brāhmaṇas.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses the king and announces a forthcoming description: once the Mahābhārata story is underway, he will explain, for each parvan, what gifts should be offered to brāhmaṇas, based on the recognized qualities and dharma-conduct of kṣatriyas.