Shloka 12

Adhyāya 60: Dāna vs. Yajña—Royal Giving, Protection, and Karmic Share

Devanagari script

“अहिंसाका फल है रूप और दीक्षाका फल है उत्तम कुलमें जन्म। फल-मूल खाकर रहनेवालोंको राज्य और पत्ता चबाकर तप करनेवालोंको स्वर्गलोककी प्राप्ति होती है ।।

Transliteration

payo-bhakṣo divaṃ yāti dānena draviṇādhikaḥ | guru-śuśrūṣayā vidyā nitya-śrāddhena santatiḥ ||

Translation

ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು— ಹಾಲನ್ನೇ ಆಹಾರವಾಗಿ ಬದುಕುವವನು ಸ್ವರ್ಗವನ್ನು ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಾನೆ; ದಾನದಿಂದ ಧನಸಂಪತ್ತು ಹೆಚ್ಚುತ್ತದೆ. ಗುರುವಿನ ನಿಷ್ಠಾಪೂರ್ವಕ ಸೇವೆಯಿಂದ ಸತ್ಯವಿದ್ಯೆ ಲಭಿಸುತ್ತದೆ; ನಿತ್ಯ ಶ್ರಾದ್ಧದಿಂದ ಸಂತಾನಪ್ರಾಪ್ತಿ ಉಂಟಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.

Word by Word

• पयोभक्षः: one who subsists on milk
• पयोभक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयोभक्ष (पयस् + भक्ष)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दिवम्: heaven
• दिवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• याति: goes
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दानेन: by giving / through charity
• दानेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• द्रविणाधिकः: becomes more wealthy / having greater wealth
• द्रविणाधिकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रविणाधिक (द्रविण + अधिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुरुशुश्रूषया: by service to the teacher
• गुरुशुश्रूषया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरुशुश्रूषा (गुरु + शुश्रूषा)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• विद्या: knowledge
• विद्या: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• नित्यश्राद्धेन: by daily śrāddha (regular ancestral rite)
• नित्यश्राद्धेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्यश्राद्ध (नित्य + श्राद्ध)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• संततिः: progeny / offspring
• संततिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• guru (teacher)
• diva (heaven)
• śrāddha (ancestral rite)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a compact doctrine of karmic results: austerity through regulated living (here, subsisting on milk) is linked with heavenly attainment; generosity is said to expand one’s prosperity; humble service to one’s teacher yields learning; and regular performance of śrāddha supports continuity of the family line through progeny.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused setting, Vaiśampāyana reports a didactic statement listing the ‘fruits’ (phala) of specific dharmic practices—dietary restraint, charity, service to the guru, and daily śrāddha—framing them as practical ethical-religious disciplines with corresponding outcomes.