Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 47

Phala of Vrata, Niyama, Svādhyāya, Dama, Satya, Brahmacarya, and Service (व्रत-नियम-स्वाध्याय-दम-सत्य-ब्रह्मचर्य-शुश्रूषा-फलप्रश्नः)

Devanagari script

एता: पुरा हाददन्नित्यमेव शान्तात्मानो दानपथे निविष्टा: तपांस्युग्राण्यप्रतिशड्कमाना- स्ते वै दान॑ प्रददुश्चैव शक्‍त्या

Transliteration

etāḥ purā hādadann nityam eva śāntātmano dānapathe niviṣṭāḥ | tapāṁsy ugrāṇy apratiśaṅkamānās te vai dānaṁ pradaduś caiva śaktyā ||

Translation

पूर्वकाल में शान्तचित्त पुरुष दान-पथ में स्थित होकर नित्य ही इन गौओं का दान करते थे। वे उग्र तपस्या करते हुए भी उसमें कोई संदेह न रखते थे और यथाशक्ति दान देते ही रहते थे।

Word by Word

• {'etāḥ': 'these (feminine plural

• here, the cows being discussed)', 'purā': 'formerly, in ancient times', 'nityam eva': 'always, continually', 'śānta-ātmānaḥ': 'those whose minds/selves are calm

• tranquil-minded persons', 'dāna-patha': 'the path/principle of charity

• the discipline of giving', 'niviṣṭāḥ': 'entered into

• firmly established in', 'tapāṁsi': 'austerities, ascetic practices', 'ugrāṇi': 'fierce, severe', 'apratiśaṅkamānāḥ': 'not doubting

• without hesitation', 'te vai': 'they indeed', 'dānam': 'gift, charity', 'pradaduḥ': 'they gave, bestowed', 'ca eva': 'and indeed/also', 'śaktyā': 'according to one’s power/means

Speaker

नाचिकेत उवाच

Characters & Entities

• नाचिकेत (Nāciketa)
• गाः/एताः (cows, as the implied objects of donation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Austerity and spiritual discipline are not meant to become excuses for withholding generosity; the ethically mature person, calm in mind and steady in dharma, continues to give according to capacity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nāciketa recalls an ancient model of righteous conduct: tranquil-minded people, committed to the path of charity, regularly donated cows and maintained giving even while engaged in severe ascetic practices.