Shloka 17

Karma-Phala Rahasya and the Ethics of Dāna (कर्मफल-रहस्यं दानधर्मश्च)

Devanagari script

स्त्रियस्त्रिषवर्णं स्नात्वा वायुं पीत्वा क्रतुं लभेत्‌ । स्वर्ग सत्येन लभते दीक्षया कुलमुत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

striyaḥ triṣavarṇaṁ snātvā vāyuṁ pītvā kratuṁ labhet | svargaṁ satyena labhate dīkṣayā kulam uttamam ||

Translation

ସ୍ତ୍ରୀସମ୍ବନ୍ଧୀୟ ଭୋଗ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରି, ତ୍ରିକାଳ ସ୍ନାନ କରି, ବାୟୁପାନ ସଦୃଶ କଠୋର ସଂଯମରେ ରହିଲେ ଯଜ୍ଞଫଳ ମିଳେ। ସତ୍ୟରେ ସ୍ୱର୍ଗ, ଦୀକ୍ଷାରେ ଉତ୍ତମ କୁଳ ଲଭ୍ୟ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• त्रिषु: in three (times)
• त्रिषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• वर्णम्: color/complexion
• वर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (स्नान)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• वायुम्: air
• वायुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पीत्वा: having drunk
• पीत्वा: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (पिबति)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• क्रतुम्: sacrifice (yajña)
• क्रतुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• लभेत्: would obtain / may obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (optative), Potential/Optative, 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सत्येन: by truth
• सत्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• लभते: obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Laṭ (present), Present, 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• दीक्षया: by consecration/initiation
• दीक्षया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• कुलम्: family/lineage
• कुलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma links inner discipline to spiritual results: severe restraint and purity of conduct can yield the merit of sacrifice; truthfulness leads to heaven; and disciplined consecration (dīkṣā) elevates one’s ‘kula’—understood as noble standing sustained by vows and purified conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma continues instructing Yudhishthira on dharma. Here he summarizes a set of ascetic and ethical observances—continence/restraint, thrice-daily bathing, austere living, truthfulness, and dīkṣā—by stating the corresponding fruits they are said to produce.