Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

क्रतुभिश्नोपवासैश्व त्रिदिवं याति भारत । लभते च शिवं ज्ञानं फलपुष्पप्रदो नर:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

kratubhiś copavāsaiś ca tridivaṃ yāti bhārata |

labhate ca śivaṃ jñānaṃ phalapuṣpaprado naraḥ ||

Translation

ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ໂອ ພາຣະຕະ, ດ້ວຍການປະກອບຍັດ (ພິທີບູຊາ) ແລະການອົບພະວາດ (ອົບວາດ/ອົບພາສ) ມະນຸດຈະໄປສູ່ໂລກສະຫວັນ. ແລະຜູ້ໃດບໍລິຈາກໝາກໄມ້ແລະດອກໄມ້ ຜູ້ນັ້ນຈະໄດ້ຮັບຄວາມຮູ້ອັນເປັນມົງຄຸນ ແລະເກື້ອກູນ—ຄວາມຮູ້ທີ່ນຳໄປສູ່ຄວາມຜາສຸກ ແລະຄວາມຫຼຸດພົ້ນ.

Word by Word

• क्रतुभिः: by sacrifices (rites)
• क्रतुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• उपवासैः: by fasts
• उपवासैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• त्रिदिवम्: to heaven (the celestial world)
• त्रिदिवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदिव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• याति: goes
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• लभते: obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शिवम्: auspicious, beneficial
• शिवम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• फलपुष्पप्रदः: one who gives fruits and flowers
• फलपुष्पप्रदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फलपुष्पप्रद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhārata
• Tridiva (Svarga/heaven)
• Kratu (sacrifice)
• Upavāsa (fasting)
• Phala (fruits)
• Puṣpa (flowers)
• Jñāna (knowledge)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ritual merit (sacrifice and fasting) is praised as leading to heavenly attainment, while simple acts of giving—such as offering fruits and flowers—are elevated as a cause for gaining auspicious, welfare-bringing spiritual knowledge that points toward liberation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues instructive discourse addressed to ‘Bhārata,’ summarizing the fruits of dharmic practices: sacrificial rites and fasting yield svarga, and charitable giving (fruits and flowers) yields śiva-jñāna—beneficial insight associated with ultimate good.