Shloka 2

Devanagari script

हिरण्यकण्ठी: प्रमदा ग्रामान्‌ वा बहुगोकुलान्‌ । कि ददानीति तं विप्रमुवाचाधिरथिस्तत:,तब अधिरथकुमारने उन ब्राह्मणरूपधारी इन्द्रसे कहा--“विप्रवर! मैं आपको क्‍या दूँ? सोनेके कण्ठोंसे विभूषित युवती स्त्रियाँ अथवा बहुसंख्यक गोधनोंसे भरे हुए अनेक ग्राम?”

Transliteration

hiraṇyakaṇṭhīḥ pramadā grāmān vā bahugokulān | kiṃ dadānīti taṃ vipram uvāca adhirathis tataḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Then Adhirathi (Karṇa) addressed that brāhmaṇa (Indra in disguise), asking, “What shall I give you—young women adorned with golden necklaces, or villages filled with many herds of cattle?”

Word by Word

हिरण्यकण्ठीःgold-necked (women), adorned with golden necklaces

प्रमदाःyoung women

ग्रामान्villages

वाor

बहुगोकुलान्having many cow-herds/cattle-enclosures; rich in cattle

किम्what?

ददानिshall I give / do I give

इतिthus

तम्him

विप्रम्the brahmin

उवाचsaid

अधिरथिःAdhirathi

ततःthen / thereafter

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Adhirathi

vipra (brahmin; Indra in disguise per context)

hiraṇyakaṇṭhīḥ pramadāḥ (gold-necklaced maidens)

grāma (villages)

bahugokula (many cattle-herds)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dāna as a royal duty, but also raises an ethical question: generosity is not merely the magnitude of gifts (women, villages, cattle) but the discernment and righteousness with which giving is done—especially when the recipient’s identity and purpose are concealed.

What is happening in the narrative?

Adhirathi, encountering a brahmin (Indra in disguise), offers lavish options as a gift—gold-adorned maidens or villages rich in cattle—showing his readiness to give materially and setting up the impending request that will test him more sharply.