Shloka 33

Go-dāna-phala-nirdeśa

Merit and Destinations from the Gift of Cows

Devanagari script

सत्यवन्तः स्वर्गलोके मोदन्ते भरतर्षभ । दम: सत्यफलावाप्तिरुक्ता सर्वात्मना मया

Transliteration

satyavantaḥ svargaloke modante bharatarṣabha | damaḥ satyaphalāvāptir uktā sarvātmanā mayā ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “O bull among the Bharatas, those who are truthful rejoice in the heavenly world. Yet it is self-restraint—control of the senses (dama)—that is declared to be the means by which the fruit of truth is truly attained. This I have spoken with my whole heart.”

Word by Word

• {'satyavantaḥ': 'truthful people

• those endowed with truthfulness', 'svargaloke': 'in Svarga

• in the heavenly realm', 'modante': 'rejoice

• enjoy', 'bharatarṣabha': 'O bull of the Bharatas

• an honorific address to a Bharata prince (Yudhiṣṭhira)', 'damaḥ': 'self-control

• restraint of the senses and mind', 'satya-phala': 'the fruit/result of truthfulness', 'avāptiḥ': 'attainment

• obtaining', 'uktā': 'is said

• is declared', 'sarvātmanā': 'with one’s whole self

• wholeheartedly', 'mayā': 'by me'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bharatarṣabha (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Svargaloka (Svarga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Truthfulness leads to heavenly joy, but its full fruit is secured through dama—disciplined restraint of the senses; ethical speech must be supported by inner self-mastery.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s dharma-instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira in the Anuśāsana Parva, he emphasizes that virtues are interconnected: speaking truth is praised, yet it becomes effective and fruitful when grounded in self-control.