Mahabharata — Svargarohana Parva, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

ततो गन्धैश्न माल्यैश्न स्वलंकृत्य द्विजोत्तमान्‌ | तर्पयेद्‌ विविधै: कामैदनिश्वलोच्चावचैस्तथा

Transliteration

tato gandhaiś ca mālyaiś ca sv-alaṅkṛtya dvijottamān | tarpayet vividhaiḥ kāmair aniśvaloccāvachais tathā ||

Translation

ನಂತರ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ದ್ವಿಜರನ್ನು ಸುಗಂಧಗಳೂ ಹಾರಗಳೂಗಳಿಂದ ಅಲಂಕರಿಸಿ, ವಿವಿಧ ಇಷ್ಟವಸ್ತುಗಳಿಂದಲೂ, ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಸಣ್ಣ-ದೊಡ್ಡ ಅಗತ್ಯ ದಾನಗಳಿಂದಲೂ ಅವರನ್ನು ತೃಪ್ತಿಪಡಿಸಬೇಕು.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya

• गन्धैः: with fragrances/perfumes
• गन्धैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• माल्यैः: with garlands
• माल्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: माल्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• सुअलङ्कृत्य: having adorned/decorated
• Type: Verb
• Root: अलङ्कृ
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), having adorned

• द्विजोत्तमान्: the best of the twice-born (excellent Brahmins)
• द्विजोत्तमान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजोत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तर्पयेत्: should satisfy/please
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप्
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• विविधैः: with various
• विविधैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• कामैः: with desired objects/pleasures
• कामैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अनिश्वल: unclear (possibly a corrupt/variant reading)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिश्वल
• Form: Indeclinable/irregular form as transmitted (textual variant/unclear)

• उच्चावचैः: with high and low (i.e., great and small) [things]
• उच्चावचैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्चावच
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: thus, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा
• Form: Avyaya

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• dvijottamāḥ (foremost Brahmins)
• gandha (fragrance/perfume)
• mālya (garland)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches dharmic hospitality: honor the worthy (especially Brahmins) with respectful adornment and satisfy them through generous, appropriate gifts—covering both modest needs and larger necessities—so that giving is thoughtful, not merely symbolic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a prescribed mode of honoring Brahmins: first adorning them with perfumes and garlands, then pleasing them by providing a range of desired items and practical necessities of different kinds and sizes.