Shloka 7

Adhyāya 9: Pratiśruta-Dāna

The Duty to Fulfill Promised Gifts

Devanagari script

अपि चोदाहरन्तीमं धर्मशास्त्रविदो जना: । अश्वानां श्यामकर्णानां सहस्रेण स मुच्यते

Transliteration

api codāharantīmaṁ dharmaśāstravido janāḥ | aśvānāṁ śyāmakarṇānāṁ sahasreṇa sa mucyate ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ— ତଦୁପରି, ଧର୍ମଶାସ୍ତ୍ରବିଦ୍ମାନେ ଏହି ଉଦାହରଣ ମଧ୍ୟ ଦେଉଛନ୍ତି: ପ୍ରତିଜ୍ଞାଭଙ୍ଗର ପାପରେ ପତିତ ପୁରୁଷ ଶ୍ୟାମକର୍ଣ୍ଣ (କଳା କାନ ଥିବା) ଘୋଡ଼ା ଏକ ହଜାର ଦାନ କଲେ ସେ ଦୋଷରୁ ମୁକ୍ତ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• अपि: also, moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

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

• उदाहरन्ति: they cite, they adduce (as an example)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ
• Form: Lat (present indicative), 3, plural, Parasmaipada

• इमम्: this (one/this statement)
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• धर्मशास्त्रविदः: knowers of dharma-śāstra
• धर्मशास्त्रविदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मशास्त्रविद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• अश्वानाम्: of horses
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• श्यामकर्णानाम्: of black-eared (ones)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्यामकर्ण
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• सहस्रेण: by/with a thousand
• सहस्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• मुच्यते: is released, is freed
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच्
• Form: Lat (present indicative), 3, singular, passive (ātmanepada-form)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Dharmaśāstra experts (dharmaśāstravidaḥ janāḥ)
• Horses (aśvāḥ)
• Dark-eared horses (śyāmakarṇāḥ)
• A thousand (sahasra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Breaking a vow is treated as a serious ethical fault, but Dharmaśāstra recognizes structured atonement: a prescribed act of dāna (here, gifting a thousand dark-eared horses) is presented as a means to remove the moral taint and restore dharmic standing.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he supports his counsel by citing what Dharmaśāstra authorities say—offering a specific, traditional expiation for vow-breaking, framed as an authoritative example.