Shloka 33

कपिल–स्यूमरश्मि संवादः

Kapila and Syūmaraśmi on Renunciation, Householder Support, and Epistemic Authority

Devanagari script

दानं भूताभयस्याहु: सर्वदाने भ्य उत्तमम्‌ । ब्रवीमि ते सत्यमिदं श्रद्दधधस्व च जाजले,प्राणियोंको अभयदान देना सब दानोंसे उत्तम बताया गया है। जाजले! मैं तुमसे यह सच्ची बात कहता हूँ, तुम इसपर विश्वास करो

Transliteration

dānaṃ bhūtābhayasyāhuḥ sarvadānebhya uttamam | bravīmi te satyam idaṃ śraddadhasva ca jājale ||

Translation

Tūladhāra said: “The gift of fearlessness to living beings is declared to be the highest of all gifts. I tell you this as truth—O Jājali—place your trust in it.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'dānam', 'definition': 'gift

• charitable giving'}, {'term': 'bhūta', 'definition': 'living being

• creature (all beings)'}, {'term': 'abhaya', 'definition': 'fearlessness

• safety'}, {'term': 'bhūtābhayasya', 'definition': 'of (the gift of) fearlessness to living beings'}, {'term': 'āhuḥ', 'definition': 'they say

• it is declared (by tradition/authorities)'}, {'term': 'sarva-dānebhyaḥ', 'definition': 'than all gifts (ablative plural: ‘from/than all gifts’)'}, {'term': 'uttamam', 'definition': 'highest

• supreme'}, {'term': 'bravīmi', 'definition': 'I say

• I declare'}, {'term': 'te', 'definition': 'to you'}, {'term': 'satyam', 'definition': 'truth'}, {'term': 'idam', 'definition': 'this'}, {'term': 'śraddadhasva', 'definition': 'have faith

• believe (imperative)'}, {'term': 'ca', 'definition': 'and'}, {'term': 'jājale', 'definition': 'O Jājali (vocative)'}]

Speaker

तुलाधार उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Tulādhāra
• Jājali

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The highest form of charity is not merely giving material goods, but ensuring living beings are free from fear—through non-violence, protection, and conduct that grants safety. This ‘abhaya-dāna’ is presented as ethically superior to all other gifts.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Tulādhāra addresses the ascetic Jājali and emphasizes a key moral principle: the supreme merit lies in giving fearlessness to creatures. He urges Jājali to accept this as a truthful, authoritative teaching.