Shloka 23

Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity

Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

सहस्र॑ निष्ककण्ठानामददं दक्षिणामहम्‌ । विजित्य भूपतीन्‌ सर्वानर्थरिष्टवा पितामह

Transliteration

sahasra niṣkakaṇṭhānām adadaṁ dakṣiṇām aham | vijitya bhūpatīn sarvān arthariṣṭavā pitāmaha ||

Translation

قال بهاغيراثا: «يا جدي الجليل (بيتامها)، بعد أن قهرتُ جميع الملوك، أعطيتُ دَكْشِنَا (dakṣiṇā، أجر القربان) ألفَ نِشْكَة (niṣka) مع حُليٍّ للعنق؛ ثروةٌ لم تُدَّخر للزهو، بل وُجِّهت إلى العطاء الدينيّ المستحق.»

Word by Word

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• निष्ककण्ठानाम्: of (gold) neck-ornaments called niṣka
• निष्ककण्ठानाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्ककण्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अददम्: I gave
• अददम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 1st, Singular

• दक्षिणाम्: a sacrificial fee / gift (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• विजित्य: having conquered
• विजित्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + जि
• Form: Absolutive (Tumun/ktvā-anta), Parasmaipada (usage), —

• भूपतीन्: kings
• भूपतीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अर्थरिष्ट्वा: having obtained wealth / having secured the desired object
• अर्थरिष्ट्वा: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्थ + ऋष्
• Form: Absolutive (ktvā-anta), Parasmaipada (usage), —

• पितामह: O Grandfather (Pitāmaha)
• पितामह: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भगीरथ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhagīratha
• Pitāmaha (Grandfather)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical use of power and wealth: even after victory and acquisition, a righteous king channels riches into dharmic giving (dakṣiṇā), treating wealth as a means to uphold ritual and social order rather than personal indulgence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhagīratha addresses the ‘Grandfather’ and recounts a past act: after subduing other rulers, he distributed substantial wealth—described as a thousand niṣkas with ornaments—as dakṣiṇā, presenting himself as a model of royal generosity aligned with dharma.