Shloka 12

Devanagari script

ददातु राजा वित्रेभ्यो यथेष्ट क्रियतां व्यय: । पुत्राणां सुहृदां चैव गच्छत्वानृण्यमद्य सः,वे ब्राह्मणोंको यथेष्ट धन दें। जितना खर्च करना चाहें, करें। आज वे अपने पुत्रों और सुहृदोंके ऋणसे मुक्त हो जायेँ इति श्रीमहाभारते आश्रमवासिके पर्वणि आश्रमवासपर्वणि युधिष्ठिरानुमो दने द्वादशोड्ध्याय:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | dadātu rājā viprebhyo yatheṣṭaṃ kriyatāṃ vyayaḥ | putrāṇāṃ suhṛdāṃ caiva gacchatvānṛṇyam adya saḥ ||

Translation

ರಾಜನು ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರಿಗೆ ಅವರು ಬಯಸಿದಂತೆ ದಾನ ಮಾಡಲಿ; ಅವನು ಇಚ್ಛಿಸಿದಂತೆ ವ್ಯಯವಾಗಲಿ. ಇಂದು ಅವನು ತನ್ನ ಪುತ್ರರಿಗೂ ಸುಹೃದರಿಗೂ ಇರುವ ಋಣಬಂಧಗಳಿಂದ ಮುಕ್ತನಾಗಲಿ.

Word by Word

ददातुlet (him) give

राजाthe king

वित्त्रेभ्यःto the wealthy/benefactors (recipients)

यथेष्टम्as desired; at will

क्रियताम्let it be done

व्ययःexpenditure; spending

पुत्राणाम्of (his) sons

सुहृदाम्of (his) friends/well-wishers

चand

एवindeed; just

गच्छतुlet (him) go/attain

आनृण्यम्freedom from debt/obligation

अद्यtoday

सःhe

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

rājā (the king)

vipra (Brahmins)

putra (sons)

suhṛd (friends/well-wishers)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that righteous giving (dāna) and settling obligations are part of dharma: a king should distribute wealth appropriately, and one should aim to become anṛṇa—free from debts and duties—before moving forward to the next stage of life or undertaking austere vows.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports an instruction or resolve that the king should give generously to Brahmins and spend as needed, so that on that very day he becomes free from obligations toward his sons and friends—suggesting a formal settling of accounts and responsibilities in preparation for withdrawal/transition.