Shloka 2
Droṇānīka-praveśa: Arjuna’s respectful appeal to Droṇa and renewed advance toward Jayadratha (द्रोणानीकप्रवेशः)
तस्मै हान्निर्वरं प्रादात् ततो वत्रे वरं गय: । तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण व्रतेन नियमेन च,इससे प्रसन्न होकर अग्निदेवने उन्हें वर देनेकी इच्छा प्रकट की। (अग्निदेवकी आज्ञासे) गयने उनसे यह वरदान माँगा--“मैं तप, ब्रह्मचर्य, व्रत, नियम और गुरुजनोंकी कृपासे वेदोंका ज्ञान प्राप्त करना चाहता हूँ। दूसरोंको कष्ट पहुँचाये बिना अपने धर्मके अनुसार चलकर अक्षय धन पाना चाहता हूँ। ब्राह्मणोंको दान देता रहूँ और इस कार्यमें प्रतिदिन मेरी अधिकाधिक श्रद्धा बढ़ती रहे। अपने ही वर्णकी पतिव्रता कन्याओंसे मेरा विवाह हो और उन्हींके गर्भसे मेरे पुत्र उत्पन्न हों। अन्नदानमें मेरी श्रद्धा बढ़े तथा धर्ममें ही मेरा मन लगा रहे। अग्निदेव! मेरे धर्मसम्बन्धी कार्योमें कभी कोई विघ्न न आवे”
tasmai hānnir varaṃ prādāt tato vatre varaṃ gayaḥ | tapasā brahmacaryeṇa vratena niyamena ca ||
Nārada said: Pleased with him, Agni granted him a boon. Then Gaya chose his boon—seeking, through austerity, celibate discipline (brahmacarya), vows, and self-restraint, to attain Vedic knowledge by the grace of his teachers; to gain inexhaustible wealth while living according to dharma without causing harm to others; to continue giving gifts to brāhmaṇas with ever-increasing daily faith; to marry chaste maidens of his own varṇa and beget sons through them; to grow in devotion to the gift of food and remain steadfastly devoted to dharma; and to have no obstacles arise in his religious undertakings.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames true prosperity as dharma-grounded: learning gained through disciplined practice (tapas, brahmacarya, vrata, niyama), wealth sought without harming others, and sustained generosity—especially annadāna and gifts to brāhmaṇas—supported by increasing faith and freedom from obstacles in righteous duties.
Nārada narrates that Agni, pleased, offers a boon. Gaya responds by choosing a set of dharmic blessings: Vedic knowledge through disciplined life and guru-grace, harmless acquisition of enduring wealth, continual charity with growing devotion, proper marriage within varṇa with sons, increased faith in food-giving, and the removal of impediments to religious acts.