Shloka 24

Adhyāya 142: Cyavana, the Devas’ Arrogance, and Vāyu’s Counsel on Protecting Brāhmaṇas

Devanagari script

मदिराश्चश्व राजर्षिददत््वा कन्यां सुमध्यमाम्‌ | हिरण्यहस्ताय गतो लोकान्‌ देवैरधिष्ठितान्‌

Transliteration

madirāś caśva rājarṣir dattvā kanyāṁ sumadhyamām | hiraṇyahastāya gato lokān devair adhiṣṭhitān ||

Translation

ভীষ্মে ক’লে—ৰাজর্ষি মদিৰাশ্বেও হিৰণ্যহস্তক সু-মধ্যা কন্যা প্ৰদান কৰি, দেৱতাসকলৰ অধিষ্ঠিত লোকসমূহলৈ গ’ল। ই ধৰ্ম্য দান আৰু বিধিপূৰ্বক বৈবাহিক সংযোগৰ পুণ্যফল।

Word by Word

• मदिराः: wines/intoxicating drinks
• मदिराः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदिरा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

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

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• राजर्षिः: the royal sage (king-sage)
• राजर्षिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजर्षि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• कन्याम्: a maiden/daughter
• कन्याम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सुमध्यमाम्: slender-waisted (one)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमध्यमा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• हिरण्यहस्ताय: to Hiraṇyahasta (Golden-handed)
• हिरण्यहस्ताय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यहस्त
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• गतः: went/has gone
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used actively), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोकान्: worlds/realms
• लोकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अधिष्ठितान्: presided over/ruled
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-स्था
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Madirāśvā
• Hiraṇyahasta
• the gods (devas)
• heavenly worlds (lokas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the dharmic value of proper gifting—especially the socially sanctioned giving of a maiden in marriage (kanyādāna)—and links such righteous conduct with the attainment of exalted, god-governed realms after death.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma recounts that the royal sage Madirāśvā arranged a maiden’s marriage by giving her to Hiraṇyahasta; after fulfilling this duty, he departed and attained heavenly worlds presided over by the gods.