Shloka 32

Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

वसुन्धरां तु यो दद्याद्‌ द्विजाय विदुरात्मने

Transliteration

vasundharāṃ tu yo dadyād dvijāya vidurātmane

Translation

വിവേകവും ശമവും ഉള്ള യോഗ്യനായ ദ്വിജന് (ബ്രാഹ്മണന്) വസുന്ധരയെ—ഭൂമിയെയും അതിലെ സമ്പത്തെയും—ആരെങ്കിലും ദാനം ചെയ്താൽ…

Word by Word

• वसुन्धराम्: the earth/land
• वसुन्धराम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुन्धरा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दद्यात्: should give
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Vidhi-linga (Optative), Non-past (modal), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• द्विजाय: to a Brahmin (twice-born)
• द्विजाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• विदुरात्मने: to one whose self is wise/prudent
• विदुरात्मने: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विदुरात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• dvija (brāhmaṇa)
• vasundharā (earth/land)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse begins a teaching on dāna-dharma: the highest gifts (even land) gain ethical value when offered to a truly worthy recipient—here, a brāhmaṇa of discerning, self-controlled character—highlighting that intention and recipient-qualification are central to merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya continues an instructive discourse in the Vana Parva, introducing an exemplary act of giving—donating land to a qualified brāhmaṇa—as part of a broader discussion on righteous conduct and the fruits of generosity.