Shloka 18

Karma-Phala Rahasya and the Ethics of Dāna (कर्मफल-रहस्यं दानधर्मश्च)

Devanagari script

सलिलाशी भवेद्‌ यस्तु सदाग्नि: संस्कृतो द्विज: । मनुं साधयतो राज्यं नाकपृष्ठमनाशके,जो ब्राह्मण सदा जल पीकर रहता है, अग्निहोत्र करता है और मन्त्र-साधनामें संलग्न रहता है, उसे राज्य मिलता है और निराहारखरत करनेसे मनुष्य स्वर्गलोकमें जाता है

Transliteration

salilāśī bhaved yas tu sadāgniḥ saṃskṛto dvijaḥ | manuṃ sādhayato rājyaṃ nākapṛṣṭham anāśake ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: That well-trained twice-born who lives on water, who maintains the sacred fires continually and performs agnihotra, and who is devoted to disciplined mantra-practice, attains sovereignty while upholding Manu’s ordinance; and by undertaking the vow of fasting (abstaining from food), a person reaches the heavenly world.

Word by Word

सलिलाशीwater-eating; living on water

भवेत्would be / should become

यःwho

तुbut / indeed

सदाalways

अग्निःfire

संस्कृतःpurified / consecrated / refined

द्विजःtwice-born (Brahmin)

मनुम्Manu (name) / the lawgiver Manu

साधयतःof (one) accomplishing / practicing

राज्यम्kingdom / sovereignty

नाकपृष्ठम्the surface of heaven; heaven

अनाशकेin fasting / in abstaining from food

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Dvija (Brahmin)

Manu

Agni (sacred fire)

Svarga (Nāka)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes