Shloka 92

Śoka-śamana: Kṛṣṇa’s Consolation and Nārada’s Exempla to Sṛñjaya

Chapter 29

Devanagari script

हैरण्यान्‌ योजनोत्सेधानायतान्‌ दशयोजनम्‌ | अतिरिक्तान द्विजातिभ्यो व्यभजंस्त्वितरे जना:

Transliteration

hairaṇyān yojanotsedhān āyatān daśa-yojanam | atiriktān dvijātibhyo vyabhajaṁs tv itare janāḥ ||

Translation

वायु बोले—उन्होंने ‘रोहित’ नामक बहुत-से सोने के मत्स्य बनवाए, जो दस योजन लंबे और एक योजन ऊँचे थे, और उन्हें द्विजों (ब्राह्मणों) को दान दिया। ब्राह्मणों के ले जाने के बाद जो शेष रह गए, उन्हें अन्य लोगों ने बाँट लिया।

Word by Word

• {'hairaṇyān': 'made of gold

• golden', 'yojanotsedhān': 'having a height (utsedha) of one yojana

• yojana-high', 'āyatān': 'extended

• of length', 'daśa-yojanam': 'ten yojanas (in measure), i.e., ten yojanas long', 'atiriktān': 'left over

• surplus', 'dvijātibhyaḥ': 'to the twice-born (especially Brāhmaṇas)

• dative plural', 'vyabhajan': 'they distributed

• they apportioned', 'tu': 'but

• indeed (contrast/sequence marker)', 'itare janāḥ': 'other people

• the rest of the populace', 'rohita': 'Rohita (a fish-name

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Brāhmaṇas (dvija)
• Rohita fish (golden fish objects)
• Aśvamedha sacrifice
• Rājasūya sacrifice
• other people (itare janāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic ideal of lavish, prioritized giving: wealth gained or displayed through royal sacrifices is directed first toward the twice-born (especially Brāhmaṇas) as recipients of dāna, and only what remains is shared among others—reflecting a traditional hierarchy of charitable distribution and the linkage of kingship, yajña, and generosity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu describes a past act of extraordinary royal munificence: after completing major imperial sacrifices (Aśvamedha and Rājasūya), golden fish called Rohita—enormous in size by yojana-measure—were donated to Brāhmaṇas; any surplus after their taking was then divided among the rest of the people.