Shloka 21

Adhyāya 64: Dāna-prakāra—Suvarṇa, Pānīya-dāna, Ghṛta-dāna, and Upakaraṇa-dāna

Utility Gifts

Devanagari script

यो रक्षिभ्य: सम्प्रदाय राजा राष्ट्र विलुम्पति । यज्ञे राष्ट्रादू धनं तस्मादानयध्वमिति ब्रुवन्‌

Transliteration

yo rakṣibhyaḥ sampradāya rājā rāṣṭraṃ vilumpati | yajñe rāṣṭrād dhanaṃ tasmād ānayadhvam iti bruvan |

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯେ ରାଜା ରକ୍ଷକ ଓ କର୍ମଚାରୀମାନଙ୍କୁ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ସମର୍ପଣ କରି ନିଜ ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରକୁ ଲୁଟେ, ଏବଂ ସେବକମାନଙ୍କୁ କହେ—“ଯଜ୍ଞ ପାଇଁ ରାଜ୍ୟରୁ ଧନ ଆଣ”, ସେ ଯଜ୍ଞର ନାମରେ ପ୍ରଜାକୁ ଲୁଟେ। ତାହାର ଆଜ୍ଞାରେ ଭୟ ଦେଇ କଠୋରତାରେ ଆଦାୟ ହୋଇଥିବା ଧନରେ କରାଯାଇଥିବା ଯଜ୍ଞକୁ ସଜ୍ଜନ ଓ ବିବେକୀମାନେ ପ୍ରଶଂସା କରନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ; କାରଣ ଏହା ଧର୍ମମାର୍ଗର ନୁହେଁ, ପୀଡ଼ନଧନରେ କଳୁଷିତ।

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रक्षिभ्यः: to the guards/protectors
• रक्षिभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Plural

• सम्प्रदाय: having handed over
• सम्प्रदाय: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-दा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having handed over

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राष्ट्रम्: the kingdom/realm
• राष्ट्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विलुम्पति: plunders/robs
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लुप्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यज्ञे: for/in the sacrifice
• यज्ञे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• राष्ट्रात्: from the kingdom
• राष्ट्रात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

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

• तस्मात्: from that (place/source)
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• आनयध्वम्: bring (you all)!
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नी
• Form: Present, Imperative, Second, Plural, Ātmanepada

• इति: thus/so (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• ब्रुवन्: saying
• ब्रुवन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (rājā)
• subjects/realm (rāṣṭra)
• guards/officials (rakṣin)
• sacrifice (yajña)
• wealth (dhana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A religious act (yajña) does not become meritorious merely by its outward ritual form; its moral legitimacy depends on the means by which it is funded. Wealth taken by coercion from subjects corrupts the sacrifice, and the wise do not praise such a rite.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma criticizes a ruler who orders officials to collect money from the kingdom under the pretext of performing a sacrifice. The verse condemns the king’s exploitation of subjects and states that sacrifices performed with such forcibly extracted wealth are not approved by noble persons.