Shloka 23

Ajagara-vrata (The ‘Python’ Discipline): Prahrāda Questions a Wandering Sage

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तवचने तस्मिन्‌ राक्षसेन्द्रे महात्मनि । यथेष्टं तानि रत्नानि जग॒हुब्रह्मिणर्षभा:,उन महात्मा राक्षसराजके ऐसा कहनेपर उन ब्राह्मणोंने इच्छानुसार उन सब रत्नोंको ले लिया

Transliteration

ity uktavacane tasmin rākṣasendre mahātmani | yatheṣṭaṃ tāni ratnāni jagṛhur brāhmiṇarṣabhāḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma berkata: “Apabila raja para Rakshasa yang berhati agung itu berkata demikian, para Brahmana yang teguh laksana lembu jantan pun mengambil permata-permata itu menurut kehendak mereka.”

Word by Word

इतिthus

उक्तवचनेwhen (he) had spoken / in the one whose words were spoken

तस्मिन्in that

राक्षसेन्द्रेin the lord of the Rakshasas

महात्मनिin the great-souled one

यथाas

इष्टम्desired, wished

तानिthose

रत्नानिgems, jewels

जगृहुःthey took

ब्राह्मण-ऋषभाःthe best of Brahmins

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Rakshasa-king (Rākṣasendra)

Brahmins (foremost Brahmins)

Jewels/treasures (ratnāni)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A gift becomes ethically acceptable when it is offered with clear, honorable intent and accepted without greed; consent and generosity purify the act of giving and receiving.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the Rakshasa-king speaks (granting or permitting), the foremost Brahmins take the jewels according to their wish, indicating a sanctioned transfer of treasure.