Shloka 32
Devanagari script
वसुन्धरां तु यो दद्याद् द्विजाय विदुरात्मने
Transliteration
vasundharāṃ tu yo dadyād dvijāya vidurātmane
Translation
Mārkaṇḍeya said: “Whoever would give the very earth—land and its wealth—to a worthy brāhmaṇa of disciplined and discerning spirit…”
Word by Word
वसुन्धराम्the earth/land
वसुन्धराम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवसुन्धरा
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
यःwho (he who)
यः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
दद्यात्should give
दद्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootदा
FormVidhi-linga (Optative), Non-past (modal), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
द्विजायto a Brahmin (twice-born)
द्विजाय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
विदुरात्मनेto one whose self is wise/prudent
विदुरात्मने:
Sampradana
TypeAdjective
Rootविदुरात्मन्
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
Speaker
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Characters & Entities
M
MārkaṇḍeyaD
dvija (brāhmaṇa)V
vasundharā (earth/land)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse begins a teaching on dāna-dharma: the highest gifts (even land) gain ethical value when offered to a truly worthy recipient—here, a brāhmaṇa of discerning, self-controlled character—highlighting that intention and recipient-qualification are central to merit.
Mārkaṇḍeya continues an instructive discourse in the Vana Parva, introducing an exemplary act of giving—donating land to a qualified brāhmaṇa—as part of a broader discussion on righteous conduct and the fruits of generosity.