Shloka 7

Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala

On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving

Devanagari script

श्यामान्‌ वारणपुष्पांश्व तथाष्टपदिका लता: । तत्र तत्र परिक्लृप्ता ददर्श स महीपति:,राजाने विभिन्न स्थानोंमें निर्मित श्याम तमाल, वारणपुष्प तथा अष्टपदिका लताओंका दर्शन किया

Transliteration

śyāmān vāraṇapuṣpāṁś ca tathāṣṭapadikā latāḥ | tatra tatra pariklṛptā dadarśa sa mahīpatiḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “The king beheld, arranged here and there, dark-hued tamāla trees, vāraṇa-flowers, and creepers of the aṣṭapadikā kind—ornamental growths set in various places, suggesting a carefully ordered and auspicious setting rather than a random wilderness.”

Word by Word

श्यामान्dark (ones)

वारणपुष्पान्elephant-flowers (a kind of flower)

चand

तथाalso/likewise

अष्टपदिकाःeight-petalled (creepers/lotus-like plants; name of a creeper)

लताःcreepers

तत्रthere

तत्रin various places (there and there)

परिक्लृप्ताःarranged/constructed/placed

ददर्शsaw

सःhe

महीपतिःking (lord of the earth)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

mahīpati (the king)

tamāla (implied by śyāma as dark-hued trees in the Hindi gloss)

vāraṇa-flowers

aṣṭapadikā creepers

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 highlights deliberate arrangement and auspicious order in a royal or sacred setting—suggesting that dharmic life values cultivation, cleanliness, and purposeful preparation rather than disorder.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that the king observes various plants—dark tamāla-like trees, vāraṇa-flowers, and aṣṭapadikā creepers—placed in different spots, indicating a carefully prepared environment.