Shloka 29

Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity

Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

अष्टौ सहस्राणि ककुझिनामहं शुक्लर्षभाणामददं द्विजेभ्य: । एकैकं वै काउचनं शंंगमे भ्य: पत्नीश्षैषामदरद निष्ककण्ठी:

Transliteration

aṣṭau sahasrāṇi kakudvinām ahaṃ śuklarṣabhāṇām adadaṃ dvijebhyaḥ | ekaikaṃ vai kāñcanaṃ śṛṅgamebhyaḥ patnīś ca teṣām adadaṃ niṣkakaṇṭhīḥ ||

Translation

Bhagīratha said: “I gave to the twice-born (brāhmaṇas) eight thousand white bulls with prominent humps. On each bull I had gold set upon the horns; and I also bestowed upon them cows adorned with golden neck-ornaments. Thus I performed gifts in a spirit of dharma—honouring the worthy and affirming the ethical ideal of generosity.”

Word by Word

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• ककुद्वताम्: of humped (bulls)
• ककुद्वताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ककुद्वत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• शुक्ल-ऋषभाणाम्: of white bulls
• शुक्ल-ऋषभाणाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल + ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अददम्: I gave
• अददम्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 1st, Singular

• द्विजेभ्यः: to the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजेभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Plural

• एक-एकम्: each one (one by one)
• एक-एकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + एक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• काञ्चनम्: gold
• काञ्चनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काञ्चन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शृङ्गे: in (the) horn
• शृङ्गे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्ग
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• भ्यः: (corrupt fragment; likely part of द्विजेभ्यः or similar)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भ्यः

• पत्नीः: wives
• पत्नीः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• एषाम्: of these (Brahmins)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Genitive, Plural

• अददम्: I gave
• अददम्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 1st, Singular

• निष्ककण्ठीः: wearing gold neck-ornaments (gold-necklaced)
• निष्ककण्ठीः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्ककण्ठी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भगीरथ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhagīratha
• Brāhmaṇas (dvija)
• White bulls (śuklarṣabha)
• Cows (patnīḥ)
• Gold (kāñcana/niṣka)
• Horns (śṛṅga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dāna as a central expression of dharma: a ruler gains ethical merit by giving valuable, well-prepared gifts to worthy recipients (here, brāhmaṇas), emphasizing generosity, respect, and responsible wealth.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhagīratha recounts his acts of charity: he donated eight thousand white, humped bulls to brāhmaṇas, with gold fitted on each horn, and also gave cows adorned with golden neck-ornaments—illustrating the scale and intentionality of his gifts.