संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
इतिहासपुराणाभ्याम्itihāsa-purāṇābhyāmby itihasa and purana
वेदम्vedamthe Veda
समुपबृंहयेत्samupabṛṃhayetshould be reinforced/supplemented
बिभेतिbibhetifears; is afraid
अल्पश्रुतात्alpa-śrutātof the poorly learned; of the ignorant
वेदःvedaḥthe Veda
माम्māmme
अयम्ayamthis (person)
प्रतरिष्यतिpratariṣyatiwill overcome; will misinterpret, will supplant
कार्ष्णम् वेदम्kārṣṇaṃ vedamthis Veda of Krishna (Dvaipayana)
इमम्imamthis
विद्वान्vidvānone learned; wise
श्रावयित्वाśrāvayitvāhaving recited aloud (caused to be heard)
अर्थम्arthamthe goal; the benefit; the reward
अश्नुतेaśnuteobtains; attains
भ्रूणहत्याकृतम्bhrūṇa-hatyā-kṛtamcommitted by the killing of an embryo
च अपिca apiand even
पापम्pāpamthe sin
जह्यात्jahyātwill cast off; will erase
न संशयःna saṃśayaḥthere is no doubt
इतिहासपुराणाभ्यांitihāsapurāṇābhyāṃthe source form “itihāsapurāṇābhyāṃ”, included for full word-by-word coverage
वेदंvedaṃthe source form “vedaṃ”, included for full word-by-word coverage
बिभेत्य्bibhetythe source form “bibhety”, included for full word-by-word coverage
अल्पश्रुताद्alpaśrutādthe source form “alpaśrutād”, included for full word-by-word coverage
वेदोvedothe source form “vedo”, included for full word-by-word coverage
अयंayaṃthe source form “ayaṃ”, included for full word-by-word coverage
इमंimaṃthe source form “imaṃ”, included for full word-by-word coverage
विद्वाञ्vidvāñthe source form “vidvāñ”, included for full word-by-word coverage
श्रावयित्वार्थम्śrāvayitvārthamthe source form “śrāvayitvārtham”, included for full word-by-word coverage
भ्रूणहत्याकृतंbhrūṇahatyākṛtaṃthe source form “bhrūṇahatyākṛtaṃ”, included for full word-by-word coverage
चापिcāpithe source form “cāpi”, included for full word-by-word coverage
पापंpāpaṃthe source form “pāpaṃ”, included for full word-by-word coverage
जह्यान्jahyānthe source form “jahyān”, included for full word-by-word coverage
Here is the famous saying: ‘the Veda should be supplemented with itihasa and purana,’ for the Veda ‘fears the poorly learned,’ who might distort its meaning. Itihasa — the Mahabharata — unfolds the hidden meaning of the Vedas in an accessible, narrative form, protecting it from distortion by the ignorant. That is why it is called the ‘Veda of Krishna’ (kārṣṇaṃ vedam) — having come from Vyasa, an incarnation of the Lord, and carrying the essence of the Vedas: devotion to Krishna. Its power is so great that reading it erases even the gravest sin. Thus the epic's purpose is confirmed: to be the ‘fifth Veda,’ preserving and revealing the truth about the Supreme for all.