Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 14
Sāma (Sāntva) and Dāna: The Brāhmaṇa’s Conciliatory Release from a Rākṣasa
Devanagari script
यदेव ददत: पुण्यं तदेव प्रतिगृह्नतः । न होकचक्रं वर्तेत इत्येवमृषयों विदु:
Transliteration
yad eva dadataḥ puṇyaṃ tad eva pratigṛhṇataḥ | na hokacakraṃ varteta ity evam ṛṣayo viduḥ ||
Translation
દાન આપનારને જે પુણ્ય મળે છે, તે જ પુણ્ય વિધિપૂર્વક ગ્રહણ કરનારને પણ મળે છે. ઋષિઓ જાણે છે—આ પરસ્પર આધારથી જ લોકચક્ર ચાલે છે; નહીંતર તે ન ચાલે।
Word by Word
यत्that which
यत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
ददतःof (one) giving
ददतः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootदा
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
पुण्यम्merit/virtue
पुण्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपुण्य
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
तत्that
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
प्रतिगृह्णतःof (one) receiving/accepting
प्रतिगृह्णतः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति-ग्रह्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
होindeed/forsooth (emphatic particle)
हो:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहो
कचक्रम्a (vicious) wheel/cycle (of giving and receiving)
कचक्रम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकचक्र
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
वर्तेतwould proceed/should occur
वर्तेत:
TypeVerb
Rootवृत्
FormVidhi-lin (optative), Atmanepada, Third, Singular, Present (modal)
इतिthus
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
एवम्in this manner
एवम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम्
ऋषयःsages
ऋषयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootऋषि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
विदुःknow/declare
विदुः:
TypeVerb
Rootविद्
FormLit (perfect), Parasmaipada, Third, Plural, Perfect
Speaker
मैत्रेय उवाच
Characters & Entities
म
मैत्रेय (Maitreya)ऋ
ऋषयः (the sages)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Both giving and rightful receiving are dharmic acts that generate equal merit; society’s moral and material circulation depends on this reciprocity.
Maitreya states a general dharma principle: the receiver of a proper gift is not merely a passive beneficiary but a necessary participant in the ethical economy that keeps the ‘wheel of the world’ turning.