Mahabharata · 6.26.4
॥
Devanāgarī
अर्जुन उवाच
अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः ॥
कथम् एतद् विजानीयां त्वम् आदौ प्रोक्तवान् इति ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
arjuna uvāca
aparaṃ bhavato janma paraṃ janma vivasvataḥ ||
katham etad vijānīyāṃ tvam ādau proktavān iti ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अर्जुन उवाचarjuna uvācaArjuna said; Arjuna asked
अपरं भवतो जन्मaparaṃ bhavato janmayour birth is later; your recent appearance
परं जन्म विवस्वतःparaṃ janma vivasvataḥthe earlier birth of Vivasvan; the ancient birth of Vivasvan
कथम् एतद् विजानीयांkatham etad vijānīyāṃhow am I to understand this; how am I to know this
त्वम् आदौ प्रोक्तवान् इतिtvam ādau proktavān itiyou spoke it in the beginning, thus; that you declared it before
Translation
Arjuna said: "Your birth is later, and the birth of Vivasvan is earlier. How am I to understand that You spoke this teaching in the beginning?"
Version
9db34d2862ec · published Jul 17, 2026, 8:55:05 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Arjuna asks a direct question about Krishna's divine nature. Outwardly Krishna stands before him as a contemporary and friend, yet His words point to a being beyond ordinary birth.