Shloka 29

Rāma’s Abhiṣeka Plan, Kaikeyī’s Boon, and the Initiation of the Exile

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Account

Devanagari script

अहो दान विघुष्ट ते सुमहत्‌ स्वर्गवासिभि: । सशरीरो भवान्‌ गन्ता स्वर्ग सुचरितव्रत,“अहो! स्वर्गवासी देवताओंने भी तुम्हारे महान्‌ दानकी सर्वत्र घोषणा की है। उत्तम व्रतका पालन करनेवाले महर्षे! तुम सदेह स्वर्गलोकको जाओगे”

Transliteration

aho dāna-vighuṣṭaṁ te sumahat svargavāsibhiḥ | saśarīro bhavān gantā svargaṁ sucarita-vrata ||

Translation

Vyāsa said: “Ah! Even the dwellers of heaven have widely proclaimed your exceedingly great gift. O sage of well-observed vows and noble conduct, you shall go to heaven in your very body.”

Word by Word

अहोoh!/indeed!

दानम्gift, charity

विघुष्टम्proclaimed, loudly announced

तेof you/your

सुमहत्very great

स्वर्गवासिभिःby the dwellers of heaven

सशरीरःwith (your) body, embodied

भवान्you (honorific)

गन्ताgoer; one who will go

स्वर्गम्to heaven

सुचरितव्रतO you of well-performed vows/observances

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyasa

svarga

svargavasis (celestial beings)

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?

Great charity performed with steadfast vows and righteous conduct earns extraordinary spiritual merit—so much so that it is celebrated even among the celestials—and leads to exalted attainment (here, heaven), emphasizing the ethical power of selfless giving.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa addresses a virtuous ascetic/recipient of praise, declaring that the person’s renowned act of giving has been proclaimed by the inhabitants of heaven and blessing/foretelling that the person will attain Svarga in bodily form due to their well-kept vows.