Shloka 11

Devanagari script

न्यायोपेतं ब्राह्मणेभ्यो5थ दत्तं श्रद्धापूतं गन्धरसोपपन्नम्‌ । अन्वाहार्येषूत्तमदक्षिणेषु तथारूपं कर्म विख्यायते ते,लोकमें आपके कर्म इस रूपमें विख्यात हैं कि आपने उत्तम दक्षिणायुक्त वृद्धिश्राद्ध आदिके अवसरोंपर ब्राह्मणोंको न्यायोपार्जित प्रचुर धन एवं श्रद्धासहित उत्तम गन्धयुक्त, सुस्वादु एवं पवित्र अन्नका दान किया है

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | nyāyopetaṃ brāhmaṇebhyo 'tha dattaṃ śraddhāpūtaṃ gandharasopapannam | anvāhāryeṣūttamadakṣiṇeṣu tathārūpaṃ karma vikhyāyate te ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Your deeds are renowned in the world as being of this kind: at ancestral rites and other solemn offerings, you have given to Brahmins gifts acquired by just means—abundant wealth and food made pure by faith—endowed with fine fragrance and pleasing taste, and accompanied by the best honoraria.

Word by Word

न्यायोपेतम्acquired/attended with justice (rightfully obtained)

ब्राह्मणेभ्यःto the Brahmins

अथand/then

दत्तम्given

श्रद्धापूतम्purified by faith (given with faith)

गन्धरसोपपन्नम्endowed with fragrance and taste

अन्वाहार्येषुin the (rites) called anvāhārya (e.g., śrāddha occasions)

उत्तमदक्षिणेषुin (rites) with excellent fees/gifts (dakṣiṇā)

तथाthus/so

अरूपम्of that kind; in such a form

कर्मdeed; act

विख्यायतेis renowned; is proclaimed

तेof you; your

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Brahmins (brāhmaṇāḥ)

dakṣiṇā (priestly honorarium)

anvāhārya/śrāddha-type rites (ancestral offerings)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True merit in giving depends not only on the act of donation but also on its ethical source (nyāyopeta—rightfully obtained), the inner intention (śraddhā—faithful sincerity), and proper honoring of recipients (uttama-dakṣiṇā).

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya praises the addressee’s established reputation for righteous generosity—especially in ritual contexts like ancestral offerings—highlighting that the gifts to Brahmins were justly earned, sincerely offered, and properly accompanied by honoraria.