Shloka 93

Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

द्रव्यागमो नृणां सूक्ष्म: पात्रे दानं ततः परम्‌

Transliteration

dravyāgamo nṛṇāṃ sūkṣmaḥ; pātre dānaṃ tataḥ param | kālād api śraddhā śreṣṭhā; svargadvāraṃ tu sūkṣmam ||

Translation

ଶ୍ୱଶୁର କହିଲେ—“ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ପାଇଁ ନ୍ୟାୟପୂର୍ବକ ଧନ ଲାଭ କରିବାର ଉପାୟ ବୁଝିବା ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ ବିଷୟ; କିନ୍ତୁ ତାହାଠାରୁ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ହେଉଛି ସେଇ ଧନକୁ ସତ୍ପାତ୍ରର ସେବାରେ ଅର୍ପଣ କରିବା। ସାଧାରଣ କାଳରେ ଦାନ କରିବାଠାରୁ ଉତ୍ତମ କାଳରେ ଦାନ କରିବା ଅଧିକ ଶ୍ରେୟସ୍କର ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ; କିନ୍ତୁ କାଳଠାରୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ହେଉଛି ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧା। ସ୍ୱର୍ଗର ଦ୍ୱାର ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ—ମୋହବଶତଃ ମନୁଷ୍ୟମାନେ ତାହାକୁ ଦେଖି ପାରନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ।”

Word by Word

• द्रव्यागमः: acquisition/inflow of wealth
• द्रव्यागमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य-आगम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नृणाम्: of men/people
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सूक्ष्मः: subtle/difficult to discern
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पात्रे: in/unto a worthy recipient
• पात्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• दानम्: giving, donation
• दानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: thereafter/than that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• परम्: higher, superior
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

श्षशुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• śvaśura (father-in-law, speaker)
• svarga (heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Acquire wealth by just means, then dedicate it to worthy recipients; while timing matters in giving, the giver’s śraddhā (faithful, reverent intention) is even more decisive for spiritual fruit, because the path to heaven is subtle and easily missed through delusion.

What is happening in the narrative?

A father-in-law figure delivers a didactic instruction on dharma: he ranks ethical livelihood, proper charity to a fit recipient, auspicious timing, and finally inner faith as the highest factor, warning that attachment and delusion prevent people from recognizing the subtle ‘gate of heaven.’