SanskritIASTMeaning
विचित्रार्थपदाख्यानम्vicitra-artha-pada-ākhyānama narrative of wondrous words and meanings
अनेकसमयान्वितम्aneka-samaya-anvitamconjoined with many doctrines/topics
अभिपन्नम्abhipannamembraced, assimilated
नरैः प्राज्ञैःnaraiḥ prājñaiḥby wise people
वैराग्यम् इवvairāgyam ivalike renunciation (vairagya)
मोक्षिभिःmokṣibhiḥby those seeking liberation
आत्मा इवātmā ivalike the self (one's own self)
वेदितव्येषुveditavyeṣuamong things to be known
प्रियेषु इवpriyeṣu ivaas among what is dear
चcaand
जीवितम्jīvitamlife (life itself)
इतिहासःitihāsaḥthis itihasa
प्रधानार्थःpradhāna-arthaḥof foremost meaning, most important in content
श्रेष्ठःśreṣṭhaḥthe best
सर्वागमेषुsarva-āgameṣuamong all scriptures
अयम्ayamthis
इतिहासोत्तमेitihāsa-uttamein this highest itihasa
हिhiindeed
अस्मिन्asminin it
अर्पिताarpitāis placed, embedded
बुद्धिः उत्तमाbuddhiḥ uttamāthe highest wisdom
स्वरव्यञ्जनयोःsvara-vyañjanayoḥon vowels and consonants
कृत्स्नाkṛtsnāwhole, entire
लोकवेदाश्रया इव वाक्loka-veda-āśrayā iva vāklike speech resting on the world and the Veda
विचित्रार्थपदाख्यानम्vicitrārthapadākhyānamoriginal form 'vicitrārthapadākhyānam', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
अनेकसमयान्वितम्anekasamayānvitamoriginal form 'anekasamayānvitam', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
अभिपन्नंabhipannaṃoriginal form 'abhipannaṃ', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
प्राज्ञैर्prājñairoriginal form 'prājñair', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
आत्मेवātmevaoriginal form 'ātmeva', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
प्रियेष्व्priyeṣvoriginal form 'priyeṣv', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
प्रधानार्थःpradhānārthaḥoriginal form 'pradhānārthaḥ', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
सर्वागमेष्व्sarvāgameṣvoriginal form 'sarvāgameṣv', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
इतिहासोत्तमेitihāsottameoriginal form 'itihāsottame', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
ह्य्hyoriginal form 'hy', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
अस्मिन्न्asminnoriginal form 'asminn', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
बुद्धिर्buddhiroriginal form 'buddhir', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
स्वरव्यञ्जनयोःsvaravyañjanayoḥoriginal form 'svaravyañjanayoḥ', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
लोकवेदाश्रयेवlokavedāśrayevaoriginal form 'lokavedāśrayeva', added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
The Mahabharata is proclaimed the best among all scriptures (śreṣṭhaḥ sarvāgameṣu) through vivid comparisons: it is dear to the wise as renunciation is dear to seekers of liberation; it is as important as the soul itself among all that can be known, and as life among all that is loved. These images are not accidental: the soul (atman) is that whose knowledge matters most; life is dearer than anything external. So too this itihasa is the center of meaning, without which other knowledge remains incomplete. Why is it so exalted? Because in it 'the highest wisdom is placed,' and it rests on the world and the Veda — that is, it carries the innermost essence of Vedic revelation, crowned with the glorification of Lord Vasudeva (as was said in the first chapter). For this reason it is the highest of scriptures — leading to the highest goal, to Hari.