Shloka 19

Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

युधिछिर उवाच शुल्कमन्येन दत्तं स्याद्‌ ददानीत्याह चापर: । बलादन्य: प्रभाषेत धनमन्य: प्रदर्शयेत्‌

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca— śulkam anyena dattaṃ syād dadānīty āha cāparaḥ | balād anyaḥ prabhāṣeta dhanam anyaḥ pradarśayet |

Translation

ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର କହିଲେ—ପିତାମହ! ଯଦି ଜଣେ କନ୍ୟାଶୁଳ୍କ ଦେଇ ବିବାହ ନିଶ୍ଚିତ କରିଥାଏ, ଅନ୍ୟଜଣ ‘ମୁଁ ଦେବି’ ବୋଲି ପ୍ରତିଜ୍ଞା କରି ନିଶ୍ଚିତ କରିଥାଏ, ତୃତୀୟଜଣ ବଳପୂର୍ବକ ନେଇଯିବାକୁ କହୁଥାଏ, ଚତୁର୍ଥଜଣ ଅଧିକ ଧନ ଦେଖାଇ ତାଙ୍କ ବନ୍ଧୁ-ବାନ୍ଧବଙ୍କୁ ଲୋଭ ଦେଉଥାଏ, ଏବଂ ପଞ୍ଚମଜଣ ପୂର୍ବରୁ ପାଣିଗ୍ରହଣ କରିସାରିଥାଏ—ତେବେ ଧର୍ମତଃ ସେ କନ୍ୟା କାହାର ପତ୍ନୀ ବୋଲି ଗଣ୍ୟ ହେବ? ଆମେ ଏହି ବିଷୟର ଯଥାର୍ଥ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱ ଜାଣିବାକୁ ଚାହୁଁଛୁ; ଆପଣ ଆମ ପାଇଁ ନେତ୍ର ଓ ପଥପ୍ରଦର୍ଶକ ହୁଅନ୍ତୁ।

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• शुल्कम्: bride-price; fee
• शुल्कम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुल्क
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अन्येन: by another (man)
• अन्येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• दत्तम्: given
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• स्यात्: might be / would be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Optative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ददानीति: "I give" (saying so)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Present, 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada, इति

• आह: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• अपरः: another (man)
• अपरः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• अन्यः: another (man)
• अन्यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रभाषेत: might speak / might declare
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-भाष्
• Form: Optative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धनम्: wealth; money
• धनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अन्यः: another (man)
• अन्यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रदर्शयेत्: might show / might display
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दृश्
• Form: Optative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma, implied addressee)
• śulka (bride-price)
• dhanam (wealth)
• pāṇigrahaṇa (hand-taking marriage rite, implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharma-legal problem: when multiple men assert competing claims over a maiden through payment, promise, wealth inducement, coercion, or completed ritual, which claim is valid. It invites a principled hierarchy of legitimacy—privileging lawful procedure and completed sacramental acts over mere promises, bribery, or force.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira consults Bhīṣma on subtle points of conduct. Here he presents a complex marriage dispute with several claimants and asks Bhīṣma to determine, according to dharma, who should be regarded as the rightful husband.