Shloka 36

Nṛga-upākhyāna: Brāhmaṇa-sva and the Consequence of Misappropriated Gift-Cattle (कृकलास-रूपे नृगोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

सर्वाण्यस्वामिकान्याहुर्न हि तत्र परिग्रह: । इत्येतद्‌ भूमिदानस्य फलमुक्तं विशाम्पते

Transliteration

sarvāṇy asvāmikāny āhur na hi tatra parigrahaḥ | ity etad bhūmidānasya phalam uktaṃ viśāṃpate ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “They declare that all such places are without a private owner, for there can be no personal appropriation there. O lord of the people, thus has the fruit of gifting land been stated.”

Word by Word

• {'sarvāṇi': 'all (things/places)', 'asvāmikāni': 'ownerless

• not under a private proprietor', 'āhuḥ': 'they say

• they declare', 'na': 'not', 'hi': 'indeed

• for', 'tatra': 'there

• in that case/place', 'parigrahaḥ': 'appropriation

• taking as one’s own', 'iti': 'thus', 'etat': 'this', 'bhūmi-dānasya': 'of the gift of land', 'phalam': 'fruit

• merit', 'uktam': 'has been said

• has been taught', 'viśāṃpate': 'O lord of the people (address to Yudhiṣṭhira)'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira (viśāṃpati)
• bhūmi-dāna (gift of land)
• parigraha (appropriation/possession)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Certain natural and sacred locales are treated as common/ownerless (asvāmika), so private appropriation (parigraha) does not apply there; hence one need not buy land in such places merely to perform rites like śrāddha. The passage frames this as part of the teaching on the merit and proper understanding of bhūmi-dāna (gifting land).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on gifts and ritual duties, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira. Here he clarifies a practical point about where ownership is not recognized—implying that ritual performance in forests, mountains, rivers, and tīrthas does not require purchasing ground—while concluding that this is the stated ‘fruit’ or doctrinal import connected with land-gift.