Shloka 13

Śāṇḍilī–Sumanā-saṃvāda: Sat-strī-samudācāra and Pati-dharma

Conduct of the Virtuous Wife

Devanagari script

तृषितस्तृषिताय त्वं दत्त्वैतद्‌ दर्शन॑ं मम । अजैषीर्महतो लोकान्‌ महायज्ञैरिव प्रभो,प्रभो! मैं भूखा और प्यासा था। तुमने मुझ भूखे-प्यासेको अन्न-जल देकर तृप्त किया। इस पुण्यके प्रभावसे महान्‌ यज्ञोंद्वारा प्राप्त होनेवाले बड़े-बड़े लोकोंपर तुमने विजय पायी है--यह मुझे प्रत्यक्ष दिखायी देता है

Transliteration

tṛṣitas tṛṣitāya tvaṃ dattvaitad darśanaṃ mama | ajaiṣīr mahato lokān mahāyajñair iva prabho ||

Translation

Vyāsa said: “When I was parched with hunger and thirst, you satisfied me by giving food and water; I see this with my own eyes. By the power of that merit, O lord, you have won great heavenly realms—realms that are otherwise attained through mighty sacrifices.”

Word by Word

• {'tṛṣitaḥ': 'thirsting

• parched (also implying hunger in context)', 'tṛṣitāya': 'to one who is thirsty (dative)', 'tvam': 'you', 'dattvā': 'having given', 'etad': 'this', 'darśanam': 'vision

• what is seen', 'mama': 'of me

• to me', 'ajaiṣīḥ': 'you conquered

• you won (2nd person singular perfect)', 'mahataḥ': 'great

• vast', 'lokān': 'worlds

• realms (often heavenly abodes)', 'mahāyajñaiḥ': 'by great sacrifices (instrumental plural)', 'iva': 'as if

• like', 'prabho': 'O lord

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Simple, timely charity—especially feeding and giving water to one in need—can yield spiritual merit comparable to (or surpassing) the results of grand sacrificial rites; compassion expressed through direct service is a powerful form of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa addresses a revered person as “prabhu,” recalling that when Vyāsa was afflicted by hunger and thirst, the person gave him food and water. Vyāsa then declares that he can directly perceive the karmic fruit of that act: the recipient has attained victory over great heavenly realms, as though by performing major sacrifices.