Shloka 21

Devanagari script

प्रतिगृह तु तद्‌ रत्नं कृष्णद्वैपायनो मुनि:

Transliteration

pratigṛhṇātu tad ratnaṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyano muniḥ

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Let the sage Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana accept that precious gift.” The line underscores the ethical propriety of offering and receiving worthy gifts—honoring spiritual authority and ensuring that wealth is placed in hands aligned with dharma.

Word by Word

• प्रतिगृह्य: having accepted/received
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतिग्रह् (धातु: ग्रह्) / प्रतिगृह्य (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा (ल्यप्), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाल (absolutive)

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रत्नम्: gem/treasure
• रत्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृष्णद्वैपायनः: Krishna-Dvaipayana (Vyasa)
• कृष्णद्वैपायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णद्वैपायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मुनिः: sage
• मुनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)
• ratna (jewel/precious gift)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dāna-dharma: valuable gifts should be offered and received in a manner that honors spiritual merit and social righteousness, placing wealth with those who embody restraint, wisdom, and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a precious item (ratna) is directed to be accepted by the sage Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa), indicating a formal act of gifting and the recognition of Vyāsa’s authority and worthiness.