Shloka 64

उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel

Devanagari script

कृच्छाणि चीर्वा च ततो यथोक्तानि द्विजोत्तमै: | तीर्थानि चापि गत्वा वै दानानि विविधानि च

Transliteration

kṛcchrāṇi cīrvā ca tato yathoktāni dvijottamaiḥ | tīrthāni cāpi gatvā vai dānāni vividhāni ca ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “Thereafter, exactly as the foremost Brahmins had enjoined, he undertook and completed rigorous expiatory observances (kṛcchra-vratas). He also went to sacred fords (tīrthas) and made many kinds of gifts.”

Word by Word

• कृच्छाणि: austerities (kṛcchra-vows)
• कृच्छाणि: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• चीर्वा: having performed/observed
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (अव्ययभाव/तुमुनादि), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाल (absolutive)

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

• ततः: then/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• यथोक्तानि: as prescribed/said
• यथोक्तानि: कर्म
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा-उक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• द्विजोत्तमैः: by the best of the twice-born (excellent Brahmins)
• द्विजोत्तमैः: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजोत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage-places/holy fords
• तीर्थानि: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

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

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

• गत्वा: having gone
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा, कर्तरि, पूर्वकाल (absolutive)

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• दानानि: gifts/charities
• दानानि: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• विविधानि: various
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker)
• dvijottama (foremost Brahmins)
• tīrtha (pilgrimage sites)
• kṛcchra-vrata (expiatory vow/penance)
• dāna (charitable gifts)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When one seeks purification or atonement, dharma emphasizes disciplined observance under competent guidance (here, the foremost Brahmins), combined with outward acts that cultivate merit and humility—pilgrimage (tīrtha-yātrā) and generous giving (dāna).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a person who, after receiving instructions from eminent Brahmins, performs rigorous kṛcchra-type penances, visits sacred pilgrimage places, and gives various donations—depicting a structured course of expiation and dharmic restoration.