Shloka 17

Adhyāya 59: On Giving to the Asker and Supporting the Non-asking (याचक-अयाचक-दाने धर्मः)

Devanagari script

भीष्मजी कहते हैं--भरतश्रेष्ठ! महात्मा च्यवन मुनिका यह वचन सुनकर धर्मात्मा राजा कुशिक बड़े प्रसन्न हुए और बोले, 'भगवन्‌! ऐसा ही हो” ।।

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca—bharataśreṣṭha! mahātmā cyavana-muner idaṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā dharmātmā rājā kuśikaḥ mahān praharṣam avāpa, uvāca ca—“bhagavan, evam eva bhavatu” iti. cyavanas tu mahātejāḥ punar eva narādhipaṃ varārthaṃ codayāmāsa; tam uvāca sa pārthivaḥ—

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Ô le meilleur des Bharata ! Ayant entendu ces paroles du grand sage Cyavana, le roi Kuśika, homme de dharma, fut comblé de joie et répondit : “Vénérable seigneur, qu’il en soit exactement ainsi.” Alors Cyavana, resplendissant de puissance, pressa de nouveau le maître des hommes de demander une grâce ; et le roi lui parla en ces termes—».

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'bharataśreṣṭha', 'definition': 'best among the Bharatas

• a respectful address to the listener (Yudhiṣṭhira)'}, {'term': 'mahātmā', 'definition': 'great-souled, noble-minded'}, {'term': 'cyavana (muni)', 'definition': 'the sage Cyavana'}, {'term': 'vacana', 'definition': 'speech, statement, words'}, {'term': 'śrutvā', 'definition': 'having heard'}, {'term': 'dharmātmā', 'definition': 'one whose nature is dharma

• righteous'}, {'term': 'rājā kuśikaḥ', 'definition': 'King Kuśika (a royal figure in the narrative)'}, {'term': 'praharṣa / praharṣam avāpa', 'definition': 'joy, delight

• attained great joy'}, {'term': 'bhagavan', 'definition': 'revered one

• honorific for a sage'}, {'term': 'evam eva bhavatu', 'definition': 'let it be exactly so

• an assent/acceptance'}, {'term': 'mahātejāḥ', 'definition': 'of great splendor/energy

• radiant, powerful'}, {'term': 'punar eva', 'definition': 'again, once more'}, {'term': 'narādhipa', 'definition': 'lord of men

• king'}, {'term': 'varārtha', 'definition': 'for the sake of a boon

• with the aim of granting/asking a boon'}, {'term': 'codayāmāsa', 'definition': 'urged, prompted, encouraged'}, {'term': 'pārthiva', 'definition': 'earthly ruler

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Cyavana (sage)
• King Kuśika
• Bharata lineage (as address: Bharataśreṣṭha)
• Narādhipa/Pārthiva (the king, i.e., Kuśika)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights dharmic kingship and proper conduct toward spiritual authority: a righteous ruler responds with humility and readiness to fulfill what is right, while the sage guides the king toward the ethical act of offering (or requesting) a boon in an orderly, principled way.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing Cyavana’s words, King Kuśika gladly agrees—“So be it.” Cyavana then again prompts the king regarding a boon, setting up the next exchange in which the king will respond and the boon-related outcome will unfold.