Shloka 34

के गुणास्तत्र वसतां कि तप: कश्न निश्चय: । स्वर्गे तत्र सुखं कि च दोषो वा देवदूतक

ke guṇās tatra vasatāṁ kiṁ tapaḥ kaś ca niścayaḥ | svarge tatra sukhaṁ kiṁ ca doṣo vā devadūtaka ||

Vyāsa said: “What virtues belong to those who dwell there? What austerity do they practice, and what firm resolve guides them? What kind of happiness is found there in heaven—and is there any fault at all, O little divine messenger?”

केwhich?/what (ones)
के:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
गुणाःqualities, merits
गुणाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगुण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
वसताम्of those dwelling (there)
वसताम्:
Adhikarana
TypeVerb
Rootवस्
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
किम्what
किम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
तपःausterity, penance
तपः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतपस्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
कःwho?/what (which one)
कः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
निश्चयःdecision, resolve, certainty
निश्चयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनिश्चय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
स्वर्गेin heaven
स्वर्गे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootस्वर्ग
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
सुखम्happiness, pleasure
सुखम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसुख
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
किम्what
किम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
दोषःfault, defect
दोषः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदोष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
देवदूतकO little divine messenger / O heavenly envoy
देवदूतक:
TypeNoun
Rootदेवदूतक
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

व्यास उवाच

V
Vyāsa
D
devadūta (divine messenger)
S
svarga (heaven)

Educational Q&A

The verse frames a moral inquiry: heavenly attainment is not treated as automatic or purely pleasurable; it is examined in terms of the virtues (guṇa), disciplined effort (tapas), and steadfast intention (niścaya) that support it, and whether even svarga contains limitations (doṣa).

Vyāsa addresses a divine messenger and asks for a description of the residents of that heavenly state—what qualities they possess, what austerities or disciplines they follow, what inner resolve sustains them, what happiness is experienced there, and whether any drawback exists.