Shloka 14

Nārada’s Exempla of Tapas and Assurance to Dhṛtarāṣṭra (नारदोपदेशः—तपःसिद्ध्युदाहरणम्)

Devanagari script

भाजनानि च लौहानि पात्रीश्न विविधा नृप । यद्‌ यदिच्छति यावच्च यच्चान्यदपि भाजनम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

bhājanāni ca lauhāni pātrīś ca vividhā nṛpa |

yad yad icchati yāvac ca yac cānyad api bhājanam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sagte: „O König, er verteilte eiserne Gefäße und vielerlei Gerätschaften. Welches Gefäß auch immer ein Asket begehrte—und in welcher Menge—genau das wurde gegeben; und jedes weitere notwendige Utensil wurde ebenfalls bereitgestellt.“

Word by Word

• भाजनानि: vessels, utensils
• भाजनानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाजन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

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

• लौहानि: iron (made of iron)
• लौहानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लौह
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• पात्रीः: bowls, vessels
• पात्रीः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्री
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

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

• विविधाः: various, diverse
• विविधाः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• नृप: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

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

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इच्छति: desires, wishes
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यावत्: as much as, to the extent that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत्

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

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• अन्यत्: other, another
• अन्यत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• भाजनम्: a vessel, utensil
• भाजनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाजन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• nṛpa (king)
• bhājana (vessels/utensils)
• lauha (iron utensils)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dāna as dharma: giving is not merely symbolic but responsive to real need—each recipient is given exactly what is desired and additionally what is necessary, reflecting thoughtful, non-performative generosity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Āśramavāsika setting, the king is arranging support for ascetics by distributing practical household and ritual utensils—especially iron vessels—so that their daily discipline and austerities can be sustained without hardship.