Shloka 17

Devanagari script

सत्कृत्य हि द्विजातिभ्यो यो ददाति नराधिप: । यादृशं तादृशं नित्यमश्नाति फलमूर्जितम्‌,जो राजा ब्राह्मणोंका सत्कार करके उन्हें जैसा दान देता है, वैसा ही उत्तम फलका वह सदा ही उपभोग करता है

Transliteration

satkṛtya hi dvijātibhyo yo dadāti narādhipaḥ | yādṛśaṃ tādṛśaṃ nityam aśnāti phalam ūrjitam ||

Translation

Parāśara sprach: Ein König, der die Zweimalgeborenen (dvija), besonders die Brāhmaṇas, ehrerbietig ehrt und ihnen dann Gaben darreicht, genießt fortwährend eine kraftvolle und vortreffliche Frucht, genau entsprechend der Art und Güte dessen, was er gegeben hat.

Word by Word

सत्कृत्यhaving duly honored

हिindeed/for

द्विजातिभ्यःto the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)

यःwho

ददातिgives

नराधिपःthe king (lord of men)

यादृशम्of what kind/whatever (kind of gift)

तादृशम्of that kind/such

नित्यम्always

अश्नातिenjoys/partakes

फलम्fruit/result

ऊर्जितम्excellent/strengthened (i.e., abundant)

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Parāśara

narādhipa (king)

dvijāti (twice-born, especially Brahmins)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Gifts given to the worthy—especially the twice-born—when offered with honor and respect, return to the giver as a result of the same kind and measure; respectful charity yields strong, enduring merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, the sage Parāśara teaches a ruler that honoring Brahmins and giving appropriately brings corresponding karmic fruit, reinforcing the ideal of righteous kingship through reverent generosity.