Shloka 18

Devanagari script

दानकृद्धि: कृत: पन्था येन यान्ति मनीषिण: । ते हि प्राणस्य दातारस्तेषु धर्म: प्रतिष्ठित:,दाताओंने जो मार्ग बना दिया है, उसीसे मनीषी पुरुष चलते हैं। दान करनेवाले प्राणदाता समझे जाते हैं। उन्हींमें धर्म प्रतिष्ठित है

Transliteration

dānakṛddhiḥ kṛtaḥ panthā yena yānti manīṣiṇaḥ | te hi prāṇasya dātāras teṣu dharmaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ ||

Translation

Vyāsa said: The path has been laid down by those who practice giving; by that very path the wise proceed. For givers are regarded as bestowers of life itself, and in them dharma finds its firm foundation.

Word by Word

दानकृद्धिःthe maker/author of giving (i.e., the giver; one who establishes charity)

कृतःmade, done

पन्थाःpath, way

येनby which

यान्तिgo, proceed

मनीषिणःthe wise, the discerning

तेthey

हिindeed, for

प्राणस्यof life, of vital breath

दातारःgivers, bestowers

तेषुin them, among them

धर्मःdharma, righteousness

प्रतिष्ठितःis established, stands firm

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

manīṣiṇaḥ (the wise)

dātāraḥ (givers)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that dāna (generous giving) establishes a reliable moral path for society; the wise follow this model, and dharma is said to rest upon those who sustain others through giving—so much so that they are called ‘givers of life’.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused discourse, Vyāsa emphasizes the ethical primacy of charity: he frames donors as foundational to dharma and presents their conduct as the exemplary route that thoughtful people adopt.