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Shloka 73

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 58: Yudhiṣṭhira’s dawn rites, royal gifts, and the reception of Kṛṣṇa

तावतीरददद गा वै शिबिरौशीनरो<थ्वरे । बरसते हुए मेघसे जितनी धाराएँ गिरती हैं, आकाशमें जितने नक्षत्र दिखायी देते हैं, गंगाके किनारे जितने बालूके कण हैं, सुमेरु पर्वतमें जितने स्थूल प्रस्तरखण्ड हैं तथा महासागरमें जितने रत्न और प्राणी निवास करते हैं, उतनी गौएँ उशीनरपुत्र शिबिने यज्ञमें ब्राह्मणोंको दी थीं

tāvatīr adadad gā vai śibir auśīnaro 'dhvare | yāvatīr varṣato meghāt patanti dhārā nabhasi | yāvanti nakṣatrāṇi dṛśyante gagane | yāvantaḥ gaṅgā-tīre vālukā-kaṇāḥ | yāvantaḥ sumerau sthūlāḥ prastara-khaṇḍāḥ | yāvanti mahāsāgare ratnāni prāṇinaś ca nivāsanti ||

ナーラダは語った。「ウーシーナラの子シビは、その祭祀において、婆羅門たちに牛を施した。その数は、豪雨のとき雲から落ちる雨の筋の数に等しく、天に見える星の数に等しく、ガンガーの岸辺の砂粒の数に等しく、須弥山に積もる巨大な岩塊の数に等しく、さらに大海に住まう宝玉と生きものの数に等しかった。」この一節は、法(ダルマ)にかなう儀礼の場で行われるダーナ(布施)として、シビの寛大さを倫理的範として讃えている。

तावतीःso many (as many)
तावतीः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootतावत्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
अददत्gave
अददत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootदा (दाने)
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular
गाःcows
गाः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगो
FormFeminine, Accusative, Plural
वैindeed
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
शिबिःŚibi (king)
शिबिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशिबि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उशीनरःUśīnara (name/lineage)
उशीनरः:
TypeNoun
Rootउशीनर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अथthen/and
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
वरेin the excellent (rite/place); in the best (sacrifice)
वरे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootवर
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular

नारद उवाच

N
Nārada
Ś
Śibi (Auśīnara, son of Uśīnara)
B
Brahmins
G
Gaṅgā
M
Mount Sumeru
M
Mahāsāgara (great ocean)
C
cows
C
clouds
S
stars
S
sand grains
J
jewels
L
living beings

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches the dharmic ideal of dāna: a ruler’s greatness is shown through vast, selfless giving in a righteous context (here, a yajña), especially toward Brahmins and sacred obligations. Hyperbolic comparisons underscore that generosity should be expansive, not merely minimal.

Nārada recounts an exemplary deed of King Śibi Auśīnara: during a sacrifice he donated an immeasurable number of cows to Brahmins, described through cosmic-scale comparisons (rain-streams, stars, sand on the Gaṅgā’s bank, rocks of Sumeru, and jewels and beings in the ocean).