Shloka 19
Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity
Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda
ईषादन्तान् महाकायान् काञ्चनस्रग्विभूषितान् । पद्मिनो वै सहस््राणि प्रादां दश च सप्त च
īṣādantān mahākāyān kāñcanasragvibhūṣitān | padmino vai sahasrāṇi prādāṁ daśa ca sapta ca ||
Bhagīratha berkata: “Aku telah mengurniakan ribuan gajah bertanda teratai—bertubuh besar, bergading seperti batang bajak, dihiasi kalungan emas—jumlahnya tujuh belas ribu.”
भगीरथ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dāna as a central royal and ethical duty: a ruler’s prosperity gains meaning when converted into righteous giving, especially of valuable, auspicious gifts, thereby supporting dharma and accruing merit.
Bhagīratha is recounting his acts of generosity, specifying that he donated a vast number of richly adorned, auspicious elephants—seventeen thousand—illustrating the scale and intent of his charitable conduct.