Shloka 38

Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala

On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving

Devanagari script

0 &.* 7 एप कतचजत णः हपफ तक ज्ज्ल्च्य कण का यक्ुम्त्ाप ग ः 2० [! 7472 5५2 ५ ॥#/ ८ कुशिक उवाच अग्निमध्ये गतेनेव भगवन्‌ संनिधौ मया

Transliteration

Kuśika uvāca: agnimadhye gateneva, bhagavan, sannidhau mayā.

Translation

Kuśika berkata: “Wahai Yang Mulia, di hadapanmu sendiri aku berasa seolah-olah telah memasuki tengah-tengah api.”

Word by Word

• कुशिकः: Kushika (name)
• कुशिकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अग्निमध्ये: in the midst of the fire
• अग्निमध्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निमध्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• गतेन: having gone; gone (by/with)
• गतेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• इव: as if; like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• भगवन्: O Blessed one; O Lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• संनिधौ: in the presence
• संनिधौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संनिधि
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

कुशिक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kuśika
• bhagavān (addressed revered person)
• agni (fire)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse conveys the moral psychology of dharma: the presence of a truly venerable person (a saintly authority) awakens intense inner accountability—so strong that it feels like standing in fire. Ethical life is strengthened not only by rules but by reverent awareness and the fear of wrongdoing before the wise.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kuśika addresses a revered figure (bhagavān) and confesses his overwhelming feeling in that person’s presence, comparing it to being in the middle of fire—an expression of awe, shame, or the burning intensity of conscience as the dialogue on conduct continues.