Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत अनुशासनपर्वके अन्तर्गत दानधर्मपर्वमें दैव और पुरुषार्थका निर्देशविषयक छठा अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

cakṣur dadyān mano dadyād vācaṃ dadyāc ca sūnṛtām | anuvrajed upāsīta sa yajñaḥ pañca-dakṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଅତିଥି ଘରକୁ ଆସିଲେ ପ୍ରସନ୍ନ ଦୃଷ୍ଟିରେ ଦେଖ, ସେବାରେ ମନ ଦେ, ମଧୁର ଓ ସତ୍ୟ ବାଣୀ କହ; ସେ ଯିବାବେଳେ କିଛି ଦୂର ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ସହଯାତ୍ରା କର ଏବଂ ସେ ଥିବାଯାଏଁ ସ୍ୱାଗତ-ସତ୍କାରରେ ନିବିଷ୍ଟ ରୁହ। ଗୃହସ୍ଥଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଏହି ପାଞ୍ଚ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ପାଞ୍ଚ ଦକ୍ଷିଣାଯୁକ୍ତ ଯଜ୍ଞ।

Word by Word

• चक्षुः: eye; (kind) look
• चक्षुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्षुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मनः: mind; attention
• मनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वाचम्: speech; words
• वाचम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• सूनृताम्: pleasant/true speech
• सूनृताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूनृता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुव्रजेत्: should follow (a little way)
• अनुव्रजेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-√व्रज् (गत्यर्थे)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• उपासीत: should attend upon; should serve
• उपासीत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√आस् (आसने/सेवायाम्)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• सः: that; he/it (this act)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यज्ञः: sacrifice; (a) yajña
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्चदक्षिणः: having five fees (dakṣiṇās)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च-दक्षिण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• atithi (guest)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Hospitality is itself a sacred duty: a householder should honor a guest through five offerings—kindly sight, attentive mind, gentle-truthful speech, respectful service, and accompanying the guest on departure—making daily conduct equivalent to a yajña with five dakṣiṇās.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction on dāna and right conduct, Bhishma teaches norms of household ethics, framing the reception and honoring of a guest as a ritual-like sacrifice performed through everyday behavior.