Shloka 53

दानफलप्रकरणम् — उपानहदानं, तिलदानं, भूमिदानं, गोदानं, अन्नदानं च

Gifts and Their Stated Results: Footwear, Sesame, Land, Cows, and Food

Devanagari script

मघवोवाच भगवन्‌ केन दानेन स्वर्गत: सुखमेधते । यदक्षयं महार्घ च तद्‌ ब्रूहि वदतां वर

Transliteration

maghavovāca bhagavan kena dānena svargataḥ sukham edhate | yad akṣayaṁ mahārgha ca tad brūhi vadatāṁ vara ||

Translation

ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର କହିଲେ—ହେ ଭଗବନ, ବକ୍ତାମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ! କେଉଁ ଦାନରେ ଦାତାର ସୁଖ ସ୍ୱର୍ଗସୁଖକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରି ବୃଦ୍ଧି ପାଏ? ଯାହାର ଫଳ ଅକ୍ଷୟ ଓ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ମହାର୍ଘ, ସେହି ଦାନ ମୋତେ କହନ୍ତୁ।

Word by Word

• मघवा: Maghavan (Indra)
• मघवा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मघवन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

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

• केन: by which?
• केन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• दानेन: by (what) gift/charity
• दानेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• स्वर्गतः: than/from heaven
• स्वर्गतः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• सुखम्: happiness, pleasure
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एधते: grows, increases, prospers
• Type: Verb
• Root: एध्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• यत्: which (gift/that which)
• यत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अक्षयम्: imperishable, inexhaustible
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• महार्घम्: highly valuable, of great worth
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महार्घ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• तत्: that (gift)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular

• वदताम्: of those who speak
• Type: Kridanta
• Root: वद्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• वर: O best (one)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Maghavan (Indra)
• Bhagavan (addressed revered figure)
• Svarga (heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: among acts of giving, which dāna yields the highest, imperishable (akṣaya) fruit—so valuable that it surpasses even heavenly enjoyment. It sets up the principle that not all charity is equal; intention, worthiness, and the nature of the gift determine enduring merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra (Maghavan) poses a question to a revered authority addressed as “Bhagavan,” requesting instruction on the supreme form of charity—one whose reward is inexhaustible and of the greatest significance.