Shloka 23

Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity

Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

सहस्र॑ निष्ककण्ठानामददं दक्षिणामहम्‌ । विजित्य भूपतीन्‌ सर्वानर्थरिष्टवा पितामह

Transliteration

sahasra niṣkakaṇṭhānām adadaṁ dakṣiṇām aham | vijitya bhūpatīn sarvān arthariṣṭavā pitāmaha ||

Translation

ഭഗീരഥൻ പറഞ്ഞു— ഹേ പിതാമഹാ! എല്ലാ രാജാക്കളെയും ജയിച്ച ശേഷം ഞാൻ ദക്ഷിണയായി കണ്ഠാഭരണങ്ങളോടുകൂടിയ ആയിരം നിഷ്കങ്ങൾ ദാനം ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• निष्ककण्ठानाम्: of (gold) neck-ornaments called niṣka
• निष्ककण्ठानाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्ककण्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अददम्: I gave
• अददम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 1st, Singular

• दक्षिणाम्: a sacrificial fee / gift (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• विजित्य: having conquered
• विजित्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + जि
• Form: Absolutive (Tumun/ktvā-anta), Parasmaipada (usage), —

• भूपतीन्: kings
• भूपतीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अर्थरिष्ट्वा: having obtained wealth / having secured the desired object
• अर्थरिष्ट्वा: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्थ + ऋष्
• Form: Absolutive (ktvā-anta), Parasmaipada (usage), —

• पितामह: O Grandfather (Pitāmaha)
• पितामह: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भगीरथ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhagīratha
• Pitāmaha (Grandfather)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical use of power and wealth: even after victory and acquisition, a righteous king channels riches into dharmic giving (dakṣiṇā), treating wealth as a means to uphold ritual and social order rather than personal indulgence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhagīratha addresses the ‘Grandfather’ and recounts a past act: after subduing other rulers, he distributed substantial wealth—described as a thousand niṣkas with ornaments—as dakṣiṇā, presenting himself as a model of royal generosity aligned with dharma.