Mahabharata · 3.182.1-2
॥
Devanāgarī
वैशंपायन उवाच
मार्कण्डेयं महात्मानम् ऊचुः पाण्डुसुतास् तदा ॥
माहात्म्यं द्विजमुख्यानां श्रोतुम् इच्छाम कथ्यताम् ॥
एवम् उक्तः स भगवान् मार्कण्डेयो महातपाः ॥
उवाच सुमहातेजाः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
mārkaṇḍeyaṃ mahātmānam ūcuḥ pāṇḍusutās tadā ||
māhātmyaṃ dvijamukhyānāṃ śrotum icchāma kathyatām ||
evam uktaḥ sa bhagavān mārkaṇḍeyo mahātapāḥ ||
uvāca sumahātejāḥ sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
वैशंपायन उवाच
मार्कण्डेयं महात्मानम् ऊचुः पाण्डुसुतास् तदा ॥
माहात्म्यं द्विजमुख्यानां श्रोतुम् इच्छाम कथ्यताम् ॥
एवम् उक्तः स भगवान् मार्कण्डेयो महातपाः ॥
उवाच सुमहातेजाः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः ॥vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
mārkaṇḍeyaṃ mahātmānam ūcuḥ pāṇḍusutās tadā ||
māhātmyaṃ dvijamukhyānāṃ śrotum icchāma kathyatām ||
evam uktaḥ sa bhagavān mārkaṇḍeyo mahātapāḥ ||
uvāca sumahātejāḥ sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ ||The Pandavas again ask Markandeya about the greatness of the foremost brahmanas and wish to hear an ancient example of their power.
Translation
The Pandavas said, "We wish to hear again of the greatness of the foremost brahmanas. Tell us, great sage, an ancient tale that shows their power."
Version
ced3bbae21eb · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:19:46 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
After the teaching on karma, the narrative turns to those who preserve knowledge and the sacrificial order. The greatness of a brahmana is tested here not by birth but by the strength of truth, tapas, and hospitality.