Shloka 64

The Episode of Vena: Purification, the ‘Vāsudevābhidhā’ Hymn, and the Dharma of Charity

Times, Tīrthas, Worthy Recipients

Devanagari script

त्रिकालेषु न दत्तं यैर्ब्राह्मणेषु सुरेषु च । स्वयमश्नाति मिष्टं तु तेन पापं महत्कृतम्

Transliteration

trikāleṣu na dattaṃ yairbrāhmaṇeṣu sureṣu ca | svayamaśnāti miṣṭaṃ tu tena pāpaṃ mahatkṛtam

Translation

ത്രികാലങ്ങളിലും ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്കും ദേവന്മാർക്കും അർപ്പണം നൽകാതെ, സ്വയം മധുരഭോജനം കഴിക്കുന്നവൻ—അതിനാൽ മഹാപാപം ചെയ്യുന്നു.

Word by Word

• त्रिकालेषु: at the three times (of day)
• त्रिकालेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (three times/at the three times)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (given)

• यैः: by whom
• यैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• ब्राह्मणेषु: among/for Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• सुरेषु: among/for the gods
• सुरेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• स्वयम्: oneself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (oneself)

• अश्नाति: eats
• अश्नाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मिष्टम्: sweet (food)
• मिष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; विरोध/पुनरुक्ति (but)

• तेन: thereby; by that
• तेन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कृतम्: committed; done
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (done/committed)

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial/teaching voice within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: यैर्ब्राह्मणेषु = यैः + ब्राह्मणेषु (विसर्ग→र्); स्वयमश्नाति = स्वयम् + अश्नाति (म् + अ → म); महत्कृतम् = महत् + कृतम् (त् + क् → त्क्);

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Suras (Devas)

FAQs

What does “trikāla” mean in this verse?

It refers to the three daily times—morning, midday, and evening—when traditional duties like offerings, worship, and hospitality are to be observed.

Why are Brahmins and the gods both mentioned as recipients?

The verse frames duty as twofold: honoring the divine through offerings to the Devas and sustaining sacred/social order through giving to Brahmins (as representatives of learning, ritual, and dharmic life).

What is the ethical lesson taught here?

One should not prioritize personal enjoyment (eating delicacies) while neglecting daily obligations of offering, gratitude, and giving; doing so is presented as a serious moral lapse.