Shloka 10

Devanagari script

प्राणान्‌ दत्त्वा कपोताय यत्‌ प्राप्ते शिबिना पुरा । तां गतिं लभते दत्त्वा द्विजस्यान्नं विशाम्पते

Transliteration

prāṇān dattvā kapotāya yat prāpte śibinā purā | tāṁ gatiṁ labhate dattvā dvijasya annaṁ viśāmpate prajānātha |

Translation

Bhishma sprach: „In alter Zeit erlangte König Śibi ein höchstes Ziel, indem er sein eigenes Leben für eine Taube hingab. Ebenso, o Herr des Volkes und Beschützer der Untertanen: Wer einem Brāhmaṇa Speise schenkt, erlangt eben dieses Ziel.“

Word by Word

• प्राणान्: life-breaths, lives
• प्राणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• कपोताय: to the pigeon
• कपोताय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपोत
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• यत्: which (thing)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्राप्ते: when (it was) obtained/attained
• प्राप्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• शिबिना: by (king) Śibi
• शिबिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पुरा: formerly, in olden times
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• ताम्: that (same)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गतिम्: state, course, (heavenly) destination
• गतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• लभते: obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (लाभे)
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Atmanepada

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

• द्विजस्य: of a twice-born (brahmin)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विशाम्पते: O lord of the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाम्पति (विशां + पति)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śibi (King Śibi)
• kapota (dove)
• dvija (brāhmaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse equates the spiritual merit of feeding a brāhmaṇa (anna-dāna) with the famed self-sacrifice of King Śibi for a dove, emphasizing that sincere giving—especially of essential sustenance—leads to exalted spiritual attainment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) and cites an ancient exemplar: Śibi, who gave up his life to protect a dove. Bhīṣma uses this story to praise and recommend the ethical power of giving food to a brāhmaṇa.