Shloka 28

Suvarṇa-dāna: Kārttikeya’s Origin and the Defeat of Tāraka (सुवर्णदान-प्रसङ्गे कार्त्तिकेय-उत्पत्ति तथा तारकवधः)

Devanagari script

दक्षस्य दुहिता देवी सुरभी नाम नामतः । अतप्यत तपो घोरें हृष्टा धर्मपरायणा

Transliteration

dakṣasya duhitā devī surabhī nāma nāmataḥ | atapyata tapo ghore hṛṣṭā dharmaparāyaṇā ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “Dakṣa’s daughter, the goddess named Surabhī, undertook severe austerities. Joyful in spirit and steadfastly devoted to dharma, she practiced intense penance—presented as an ethical ideal of disciplined self-restraint aligned with righteousness.”

Word by Word

• दक्षस्य: of Daksha
• दक्षस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दुहिता: daughter
• दुहिता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुहितृ
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सुरभी: Surabhi
• सुरभी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरभी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नामतः: by name; in name
• नामतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामतः

• अतप्यत: performed austerity; did penance
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तपः: austerity; penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• घोरे: in severe (austerity)
• घोरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• हृष्टा: delighted; joyful
• हृष्टा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मपरायणा: devoted to dharma
• धर्मपरायणा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म-परायण
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Dakṣa
• Surabhī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds tapas (disciplined austerity) undertaken with a dharmic intention as a model of ethical self-restraint—inner joy and steadfast commitment to righteousness are presented as the proper spirit of spiritual practice.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma introduces Surabhī, identified as Dakṣa’s daughter, and states that she performed severe austerities, characterized by joy and unwavering dedication to dharma—setting up a moral-religious exemplum within the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct.