Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 14

Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: Abhaya, Anugraha, and the Ethics of Honoring the Worthy (दानश्रेष्ठता: अभय-अनुग्रह-विप्रपूजा)

Devanagari script

ततो5हमागम्य पुरे त्वामवोचं महीपते । नियम कंचिदारप्स्ये शुश्रूषा क्रियतामिति

Transliteration

tato ’ham āgamya pure tvām avocaṁ mahīpate | niyamaṁ kañcid ārapsye śuśrūṣā kriyatām iti ||

Translation

ನಂತರ, ಓ ಮಹೀಪತೇ, ನಾನು ನಿನ್ನ ನಗರಕ್ಕೆ ಬಂದು ನಿನಗೆ ಹೇಳಿದೆನು—“ನಾನು ಒಂದು ನಿಯಮ (ವ್ರತ) ಆರಂಭಿಸುವೆನು; ನೀನು ನನ್ನ ಶುಶ್ರೂಷೆ ಮಾಡು.” (ವಾಸ್ತವದಲ್ಲಿ ನನ್ನ ಉದ್ದೇಶ ನಿನ್ನ ದೋಷವನ್ನು ಹುಡುಕುವುದೇ.) ಆದರೆ ನಿನ್ನ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಸಿಸಿದ್ದರೂ ಇಂದಿನವರೆಗೆ ನಿನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾವ ದೋಷವೂ ನನಗೆ ಕಂಡಿಲ್ಲ. ಓ ರಾಜರ್ಷೇ, ಅದಕ್ಕಾಗಿಯೇ ನೀನು ಜೀವಂತನಾಗಿದ್ದೀಯ; ಇಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೆ ನಿನ್ನ ಅಧಿಕಾರವೂ ಸ್ಥಾನಮಾನವೂ ನಾಶವಾಗುತ್ತಿತ್ತು.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: indeclinable (ablatival adverb)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: pronoun; gender: —; case: nominative; number: singular

• आगम्य: having come
• आगम्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय); voice: —; tense: —; person: —; number: —

• पुरे: in the city
• पुरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर
• Form: gender: neuter; case: locative; number: singular

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: pronoun; gender: —; case: accusative; number: singular

• अवोचम्: I said, spoke
• अवोचम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: lakara: लुङ् (aorist); pada: परस्मैपद; person: 1st; number: singular

• महीपते: O king (lord of the earth)
• महीपते: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपतिः
• Form: gender: masculine; case: vocative; number: singular

• नियमम्: a vow, observance
• नियमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम
• Form: gender: masculine; case: accusative; number: singular

• कञ्चित्: some, a certain
• कञ्चित्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम्
• Form: indefinite pronoun used adjectivally; gender: masculine; case: accusative; number: singular

• आरप्स्ये: I will begin
• आरप्स्ये: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रभ्
• Form: lakara: लृट् (simple future); pada: आत्मनेपद; person: 1st; number: singular

• शुश्रूषा: service, attendance
• शुश्रूषा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा
• Form: gender: feminine; case: nominative; number: singular

• क्रियताम्: let it be done; may (service) be rendered
• क्रियताम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: lakara: लोट् (imperative); voice: कर्मणि (passive); person: 3rd; number: singular

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति
• Form: indeclinable (quotative particle)

Speaker

च्यवन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• च्यवन (Cyavana)
• महीपति/भूपाल (the king addressed)
• पुर (the city)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s survival and legitimacy rest on dharma: faultless conduct, humility, and proper service to the virtuous. The verse frames ascetic discipline (niyama) and the demand for service (śuśrūṣā) as a moral test—implying that ethical integrity protects sovereignty, while serious faults can destroy a king’s standing.

What is happening in the narrative?

Cyavana tells the king that he came to the city announcing a vow and requesting service, but his hidden purpose was to observe the king closely and find a fault. Living in the king’s house, he has found none; therefore he declares that the king remains alive and secure—otherwise his power would have been wiped out.