Shloka 17

Āśrama-dharma and Brahmacarya: Śuka’s Inquiry on Karma and Tyāga (शुक-प्रश्नः कर्मत्यागविवेकश्च)

Devanagari script

रन्तिदेवश्व सांकृत्यो वसिष्ठाय महात्मने । अप: प्रदाय शीतोष्णा नाकपृछ्ठे महीयते,संकृतिके पुत्र राजा रन्तिदेवने महात्मा वसिष्ठको शीतोष्ण जल प्रदान किया था, जिससे वे स्वर्गलोकमें प्रतिष्ठित हैं

Transliteration

Rantidevaś ca Sāṅkṛtyo Vasiṣṭhāya mahātmane | apaḥ pradāya śītoṣṇā nākapṛṣṭhe mahīyate ||

Translation

Vyāsa berkata: Raja Rantideva, putera Saṅkṛti, memperoleh kemuliaan besar di alam syurga kerana mempersembahkan air—sama ada sejuk atau hangat—kepada resi Vasiṣṭha yang berhati agung. Rangkap ini menegaskan kekuatan etika khidmat yang sederhana namun tepat pada waktunya kepada penerima yang layak: pemberian yang biasa pun, apabila disertai hormat dan belas kasih, menjadi punca pahala yang berkekalan.

Word by Word

रन्तिदेवःRantideva

चand

सांकृत्यःSaankritya (a person named Sāṅkṛtya)

वसिष्ठायto Vasiṣṭha

महात्मनेto the great-souled (one)

अपःwaters

प्रदायhaving given

शीतोष्णाःcold-and-warm (i.e., of varying temperature)

नाकपृष्ठेin heaven (lit. on the back/height of heaven)

महीयतेis honored / is glorified

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Rantideva

Saṅkṛti

Vasiṣṭha

Nāka (heaven)

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?

That dharma is upheld through compassionate service and generosity: even a simple gift like water, offered respectfully to a worthy person and suited to their need (cold or warm), yields great spiritual merit and honor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa cites Rantideva as an example: by giving water (of appropriate temperature) to the sage Vasiṣṭha, Rantideva gains renown and exalted status in heaven, illustrating the fruit of righteous giving.