Shloka 12

Gautama–Śakra Saṃvāda: Karma, Loka-bheda, and the Restoration of the Elephant

Devanagari script

गौतम उवाच तवैव गावो हि भवन्तु राजन्‌ दास्य: सनिष्का विविध च रत्नम्‌ । अन्यच्च वित्त विविध॑ नरेन्द्र किं ब्राह्मणस्येह धनेन कृत्यम्‌

Transliteration

gautama uvāca | tavaiva gāvo hi bhavantu rājan dāsyaḥ saniṣkā vividhā ca ratnam | anyac ca vittaṃ vividhaṃ narendra kiṃ brāhmaṇasyeha dhanena kṛtyam ||

Translation

Gautama berkata: “Wahai Raja, biarlah lembu-lembu itu tetap padamu—bersama para dayang, niṣka emas, pelbagai permata, dan segala harta yang lain. Wahai penguasa manusia, apakah perlunya seorang brāhmaṇa di sini akan kekayaan?”

Word by Word

• गौतमः: Gautama
• गौतमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• तव: of you / your
• तव: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• एव: indeed / only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• हि: for / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• भवन्तु: let them be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperative, 3rd, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• दास्यः: female servants
• दास्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दासी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• स: with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स

• निष्काः: gold coins/neck-ornaments (niṣkas)
• निष्काः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्क
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विविधम्: various
• विविधम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• रत्नम्: jewel(s) / precious gem(s)
• रत्नम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अन्यत्: other (wealth)
• अन्यत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वित्तम्: wealth
• वित्तम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• विविधम्: various
• विविधम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• नरेन्द्र: O lord of men (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• किम्: what?
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of a brahmin
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• इह: here (in this world/context)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• धनेन: with wealth / by wealth
• धनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• कृत्यम्: need / business / purpose
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

गौतम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Gautama
• Rājan (the king)
• cows
• dāsīs (maidservants)
• niṣkas (gold coins/ornaments)
• ratna (jewels)
• vitta/dhana (wealth)
• brāhmaṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes non-attachment: a brāhmaṇa’s proper aim is not accumulation of wealth but living by dharma, contentment, and spiritual discipline; therefore Gautama declines material riches.

What is happening in the narrative?

Gautama addresses a king who is offering valuable possessions—cows, servants, gold, jewels, and other wealth. Gautama refuses, stating that such riches should remain with the king because a brāhmaṇa has no essential purpose for them in this context.