Shloka 26

Adhyaya 7 — Harishchandra Tested by Vishvamitra: The Gift of the Kingdom and the Pandava Curse-Backstory

Sanskrit

राजोवाच ब्रह्मंस्तामपि दास्यामि दक्षिणां भवतो ह्यहम् ।

व्रियतां द्विजशार्दूल यस्तवेष्टः प्रतिग्रहः ॥

Transliteration

rājovāca brahmaṁs tām api dāsyāmi dakṣiṇāṁ bhavato hy aham |

vriyatāṁ dvijaśārdūla yas taveṣṭaḥ pratigrahaḥ ||

Translation

രാജാവ് പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ വന്ദ്യ ബ്രാഹ്മണാ, ആ ദക്ഷിണയും ഞാൻ നിങ്ങള്ക്ക് നൽകും; കാരണം ഞാൻ നിങ്ങളുടെ സേവകനാണ്. ഹേ ദ്വിജശ്രേഷ്ഠാ, നിങ്ങൾ സ്വീകരിക്കാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്ന ദാനം തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുക।

Word by Word

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• brahman: O Brahmin
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• tām: that (gift)
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अपि)

• dāsyāmi: I will give
• dāsyāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada

• dakṣiṇām: fee; sacrificial gift
• dakṣiṇām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhavataḥ: to you (sir)
• bhavataḥ: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative/Genitive (चतुर्थी/4 or षष्ठी/6), Singular; here best as Dative ‘to you’ (honorific)

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• vriyatām: let (it) be chosen
• vriyatām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Passive (कर्मणि) ‘let it be chosen/accepted’

• dvijaśārdūla: O tiger among the twice-born
• dvijaśārdūla: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija-śārdūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular; कर्मधारय: dvijaḥ śārdūlaḥ = ‘tiger among Brahmins’

• yaḥ: which
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; relative pronoun

• tava: of you; your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• iṣṭaḥ: desired; preferred
• iṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: iṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; ‘desired/pleasing’

• pratigrahaḥ: gift (to be accepted)
• pratigrahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• King (rājā) addressing a Brahmin (brahman); exact identities not specified in the supplied verse

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "dharma", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Dana (charity)
• Dakshina
• Royal duty toward Brahmins
• Pratigraha (ethical acceptance of gifts)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse foregrounds the dharmic economy between ruler and priestly recipient: the king expresses readiness to give dakṣiṇā and also acknowledges that acceptance (pratigraha) must align with the recipient’s propriety and desire. It implies that giving should be generous yet guided by the receiver’s dharma—what is fitting to accept.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is not primarily sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṁśa/vaṁśānucarita material; it fits best under vaṁśānucarita-style narrative ethics (conduct within stories) and general dharma-upadeśa embedded in the Purana’s dialogue/narrative frame.

What is the esoteric significance?

Symbolically, the king’s offer of dakṣiṇā represents the surrender of worldly power and wealth to dharma (embodied by the Brahmin). ‘Choose the gift you wish to accept’ highlights restraint on both sides: wealth is sanctified when transferred through right intention, and it becomes spiritually meaningful only when accepted without greed and within ethical limits.