Shloka 17

Vasiṣṭha–Karāla-Janaka Saṃvāda: Aśuddha-Sevana, Guṇa-Dr̥ṣṭi, and Sāṃkhya–Yoga Ekārthatā

Mahābhārata 12.293

Devanagari script

सत्कृत्य हि द्विजातिभ्यो यो ददाति नराधिप: । यादृशं तादृशं नित्यमश्नाति फलमूर्जितम्‌,जो राजा ब्राह्मणोंका सत्कार करके उन्हें जैसा दान देता है, वैसा ही उत्तम फलका वह सदा ही उपभोग करता है

Transliteration

satkṛtya hi dvijātibhyo yo dadāti narādhipaḥ | yādṛśaṃ tādṛśaṃ nityam aśnāti phalam ūrjitam ||

Translation

പരാശരൻ പറഞ്ഞു—നരാധിപൻ ദ്വിജന്മാരെ (വിശേഷിച്ച് ബ്രാഹ്മണരെ) ആദരപൂർവ്വം സത്കരിച്ച് ഏതു തരത്തിലുള്ള ദാനം നൽകുന്നുവോ, അതിന് തുല്യമായ ശക്തിയുള്ള ഉത്തമഫലം അവൻ നിത്യവും അനുഭവിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

सत्कृत्यhaving duly honored

हिindeed/for

द्विजातिभ्यःto the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)

यःwho

ददातिgives

नराधिपःthe king (lord of men)

यादृशम्of what kind/whatever (kind of gift)

तादृशम्of that kind/such

नित्यम्always

अश्नातिenjoys/partakes

फलम्fruit/result

ऊर्जितम्excellent/strengthened (i.e., abundant)

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Parāśara

narādhipa (king)

dvijāti (twice-born, especially Brahmins)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Gifts given to the worthy—especially the twice-born—when offered with honor and respect, return to the giver as a result of the same kind and measure; respectful charity yields strong, enduring merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, the sage Parāśara teaches a ruler that honoring Brahmins and giving appropriately brings corresponding karmic fruit, reinforcing the ideal of righteous kingship through reverent generosity.