इतिहासोत्तमादस्माच्छ्रुताद् बोधः प्रवर्तते । सर्वेषामितिहासानामयं सार उदाहृतः ॥ ९ ॥
itihāsōttamādasmācchrutād bōdhaḥ pravartatē | sarvēṣāmitihāsānāmayaṁ sāra udāhṛtaḥ || 9 ||
Translation
From hearing this, the best of histories, awakening comes forth. It is declared the essence of all histories.
Word by word
- itihāsa
- of histories
- uttamād
- (uttamāt) the best
- asmāc
- (asmāt) this
- chrutād
- (śrutāt) from hearing
- bōdhaḥ
- awakening
- pravartatē
- comes forth
- sarvēṣām
- of all
- itihāsānām
- histories
- ayaṁ
- it
- sāra
- the essence
- udāhṛtaḥ
- is declared
Meaning
The work calls itself an itihāsa, a history: it teaches by events and lives, not by bare doctrine. The commentary: by hearing this finest of histories, awakening is gained; it is called the essence of all histories. Every story of every age is, in the end, about the same thing this one makes plain.