Shloka 11

Devanagari script

देवा वित्तममन्यन्त सदृशं यज्ञकर्मणि । श्रोत्रियस्य कदर्यस्य वदान्यस्य च वार्धुषे:

Transliteration

devā vittam amanyanta sadṛśaṃ yajñakarmaṇi | śrotriyasya kadaryasya vadānyasya ca vārdhuṣeḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Die Götter hielten Reichtum für angemessen, wenn er im Opferdienst verwendet wird—ob er einem vedakundigen Mann (śrotriya) gehört, der geizig ist, oder einem Freigebigen, der auf Mehrung des Gedeihens bedacht ist.“

Word by Word

देवाःthe gods

वित्तम्wealth

अमन्यन्तthought / considered

सदृशम्suitable, fitting

यज्ञकर्मणिin the act/rite of sacrifice

श्रोत्रियस्यof a learned Vedic scholar

कदर्यस्यof a miserly (person)

वदान्यस्यof a generous (person)

चand

वार्धुषेfor increase/prosperity; for augmentation

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

the gods (devāḥ)

wealth (vitta)

yajña (sacrifice)

śrotriya (Veda-learned Brahmin)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wealth becomes truly appropriate and meaningful when applied to dharmic purposes—especially yajña and allied duties—rather than being merely hoarded; the verse contrasts miserliness and generosity to highlight right use of resources.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction in the Śānti Parva, he explains principles of righteous conduct concerning wealth, emphasizing how the divine perspective values resources when they support sacrificial and duty-bound action.