Shloka 23

Āśrama-dharma and Brahmacarya: Śuka’s Inquiry on Karma and Tyāga (शुक-प्रश्नः कर्मत्यागविवेकश्च)

Devanagari script

अम्बरीषो गवां दत्त्वा ब्राह्मुणे भ्य: प्रतापवान्‌ | अर्बुदानि दशैकं च सराष्ट्रो3भ्यपतद्‌ दिवम्‌

Transliteration

Ambarīṣo gavāṁ dattvā brāhmaṇebhyaḥ pratāpavān | arbudāni daśaikaṁ ca sa-rāṣṭro 'bhyapatad divam ||

Translation

قال فياسا: «إن الملك أمبريشا الجبّار، بعدما وهب الأبقار للبراهمة—عشرة أَربُدَة وزاد واحدة (أي إحدى عشرة أَربُدَة)—بلغ السماء ومعه مملكته بأسرها.»

Word by Word

• अम्बरीषः: Ambarisha (the king)
• अम्बरीषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बरीष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गवाम्: of cows (cows, as the donated item)
• गवाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• दत्त्वा: having given
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: to the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Plural

• प्रतापवान्: mighty, valorous
• प्रतापवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अर्बुदानि: arbuda-units (a very large number)
• अर्बुदानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्बुद
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• दश: ten
• दश: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• स-राष्ट्रः: together with (his) kingdom/people
• स-राष्ट्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभ्यपतत्: flew up / attained (went) to
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दिवम्: heaven
• दिवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (दिव)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• King Ambarīṣa
• Brāhmaṇas
• Cows
• Heaven (diva/svarga)
• Kingdom/realm (rāṣṭra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that righteous generosity (dāna), especially by a ruler to worthy recipients like brāhmaṇas, generates great merit (puṇya) and leads to auspicious results—symbolized here by attaining heaven—benefiting not only the giver but also the wider realm under his care.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa cites King Ambarīṣa as an exemplar: after donating an immense number of cows—eleven arbuda—to brāhmaṇas, he is said to have ascended to heaven along with his kingdom, underscoring the exemplary status of royal charity in dharma discourse.