Shloka 29
Go-dāna-phala-nirdeśa
Merit and Destinations from the Gift of Cows
Devanagari script
अश्वमेधसहस्रं च सत्यं च तुलया धृतम् । अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेव विशिष्यते
Transliteration
aśvamedhasahasraṃ ca satyaṃ ca tulayā dhṛtam | aśvamedhasahasrād dhi satyam eva viśiṣyate ||
Translation
ビーシュマは言った。「千のアシュヴァメーダ（馬祀）の功徳と真実とを天秤に掛けるなら、真実の皿が千のアシュヴァメーダを凌いで重くなる。真実は、千の馬祀の功徳にも勝るからである。」
Word by Word
अश्वमेधसहस्रम्a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices
अश्वमेधसहस्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअश्वमेधसहस्र (अश्वमेध + सहस्र)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
सत्यम्truth
सत्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसत्य
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
तुलयाby a balance/scale
तुलया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootतुला
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
धृतम्weighed/placed (on the scale)
धृतम्:
TypeVerb
Rootधृ
Formक्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular, Passive (PPP)
अश्वमेधसहस्रात्than a thousand Aśvamedhas / from a thousand Aśvamedhas
अश्वमेधसहस्रात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootअश्वमेधसहस्र (अश्वमेध + सहस्र)
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
सत्यम्truth
सत्यम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसत्य
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
एवalone/only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
विशिष्यतेis superior/excels
विशिष्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootवि + शिष्
FormPresent (Lat), Atmanepada, 3rd, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaA
Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)T
Truth (Satya)B
Balance/scale (tulā)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Truthfulness is presented as a higher dharmic value than even the immense ritual merit of a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices; moral integrity outweighs ceremonial achievement.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he uses a vivid comparison—placing ‘a thousand Aśvamedhas’ and ‘Truth’ on a scale—to teach that satya is the heavier, superior virtue.