Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 14

Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity

Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

आप्तोयमिषु नियतमेकैकस्मिन्‌ दशाददम्‌ । गृष्टीनां क्षीरदात्रीणां रोहिणीनां शतानि च

Transliteration

āpto ’yam iṣu niyatam ekaikasmin daśādadam | gṛṣṭīnāṃ kṣīradātrīṇāṃ rohiṇīnāṃ śatāni ca ||

Translation

Bhagīratha dit : «Après avoir observé comme il se doit les vœux et la consécration prescrits pour les sacrifices, je donnai—à chaque fois, à chaque brāhmaṇa—dix vaches ayant vêlé pour la première fois et donnant du lait, ainsi que des centaines de vaches de race Rohiṇī.»

Word by Word

• आप्तः: obtained/attained
• आप्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इषु: in arrows / among arrows
• इषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इषु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• नियत: fixed/appointed
• नियत: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एकैकस्मिन्: in each (one) / for each
• एकैकस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक-एक (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्मिन् (सर्वनाम-रूप)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• दश: ten
• दश: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् (संख्या), —, —

• आददम्: gave / bestowed
• आददम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गृष्टीनाम्: of first-calved cows
• गृष्टीनाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• क्षीरदात्रीणाम्: of milk-giving (cows)
• क्षीरदात्रीणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीरदात्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• रोहिणीनाम्: of Rohiṇī-type (cows)
• रोहिणीनाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोहिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: true

Speaker

भगीरथ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhagīratha
• brāhmaṇas
• cows (gṛṣṭī, kṣīradātrī)
• Rohiṇī cows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That righteous giving (dāna) should be performed in a regulated, lawful manner and directed toward sustaining dharma—here, by supporting brāhmaṇas and sacrificial life with valuable, life-sustaining gifts like milk-yielding cows.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhagīratha recounts his past acts of merit: after undertaking sacrificial consecrations and vows, he repeatedly donated to brāhmaṇas sets of ten first-calved, milk-giving cows and additionally hundreds of Rohiṇī-breed cows, presenting his generosity as evidence of dharmic conduct.