Shloka 3

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मण उवाच हिरण्यकण्ठ्यः प्रमदा यच्चान्यत्‌ प्रीतिवर्धनम्‌ । नाहं दत्तमिहेच्छामि तदर्थि भ्य: प्रदीयताम्‌,ब्राह्मण बोले--वीरवर! तुम्हारी दी हुई सोनेके कंठोंसे विभूषित युवती स्त्रियाँ तथा दूसरी आनन्दवर्धक वस्तुएँ मैं नहीं लेना चाहता। इन वस्तुओंको उन याचकोंको दे दो, जो इनकी अभिलाषा लेकर आये हों

Transliteration

brāhmaṇa uvāca hiraṇyakaṇṭhyaḥ pramadā yac cānyat prītivardhanam | nāhaṃ dattam ihecchāmi tadarthibhyaḥ pradīyatām ||

Translation

The brāhmaṇa said: “O best of heroes, I do not wish to accept the women adorned with golden necklaces that you have offered, nor any other pleasure-giving gifts. Let these be given instead to those supplicants who truly desire them.”

Word by Word

• {'brāhmaṇa uvāca': 'the Brahmin said', 'hiraṇya': 'gold', 'kaṇṭhyaḥ': 'neck-ornaments

• necklaces (lit. ‘pertaining to the throat/neck’)', 'pramadā': 'young women

• women (as objects of enjoyment in this context)', 'yat ca anyat': 'and whatever else', 'prītivardhanam': 'that which increases delight/pleasure

• pleasure-enhancing', 'na aham': 'I do not', 'dattam': 'given

• offered', 'iha': 'here

• in this situation', 'icchāmi': 'desire

• wish', 'tad-arthibhyaḥ': 'to those who seek that

• to those who are desirous of it', 'pradīyatām': 'let it be given (imperative/passive: ‘may it be given’)'}

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (Brahmin speaker)
• वीरवर (best of heroes; the addressed hero, unnamed here)
• हिरण्यकण्ठ्यः (gold necklaces/neck-ornaments)
• प्रमदा (young women)
• याचक (supplicants/beggars; implied by tadarthibhyaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds ethical restraint and non-attachment: gifts that are pleasure-oriented should not be accepted merely because they are offered; they should go to those who genuinely seek them, while the virtuous person maintains self-control and prioritizes dharma over enjoyment.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin addresses a heroic figure who has offered luxurious gifts—women adorned with golden necklaces and other delight-producing items. The Brahmin declines these offerings and instructs that they be distributed to other petitioners who actually desire such things.