Shloka 28

Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

एवंविधेषु दातव्या न समृद्धेषु भारत । को गुणो भरतश्रेष्ठ समृद्धेष्वभिवर्जितम्‌,भारत! ऐसे ही लोगोंको गोदान करना चाहिये, धनवानोंको नहीं। भरतश्रेष्ठ! धनवानोंको देनेसे क्या लाभ है?

Transliteration

evaṁvidheṣu dātavyā na samṛddheṣu bhārata | ko guṇo bharataśreṣṭha samṛddheṣv abhivarjitam ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “Gifts should be given to people of this kind, O Bhārata—not to those already prosperous. O best of the Bharatas, what real merit is gained by giving to the wealthy, who lack nothing?”

Word by Word

एवम्thus; in this manner

विधेषुin such kinds (of persons/conditions)

दातव्याshould be given

नnot

समृद्धेषुamong the prosperous/wealthy

भारतO Bharata

कःwhat? which?

गुणःbenefit; merit; advantage

भरतश्रेष्ठO best of the Bharatas

समृद्धेषुamong the prosperous/wealthy

अभिवर्जितम्avoided; excluded; passed over

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Bhārata (addressee, typically Yudhiṣṭhira in this dialogue)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Charity gains ethical and spiritual value when directed toward those in genuine need; giving to the already wealthy yields little meaningful merit because it does not relieve suffering or deficiency.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya addresses a Bharata prince (in this section, commonly Yudhiṣṭhira) and instructs him on the proper recipients of gifts, emphasizing discernment in dāna as part of righteous conduct.