Shloka 4

Devanagari script

स निश्चयमथो कृत्वा पूजयामास देवता: । भकक्‍्त्या न चैवाध्यगच्छद्‌ धन॑ सम्पूज्य देवता:,यही निश्चय करके उसने भक्तिपूर्वक देवताओंकी पूजा-अर्चा आरम्भ की। परंतु देवताओंकी पूजा करके भी वह धन न पा सका

Transliteration

sa niścayam atho kṛtvā pūjayāmāsa devatāḥ | bhaktyā na caivādhyagacchad dhanaṃ sampūjya devatāḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଏପରି ନିଶ୍ଚୟ କରି ସେ ଭକ୍ତିସହିତ ଦେବତାମାନଙ୍କୁ ପୂଜା କଲା; କିନ୍ତୁ ସମ୍ୟକ୍ ପୂଜା କରିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଧନ ପାଇଲା ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

सःhe

निश्चयम्determination, resolve

अथthen

कृत्वाhaving done/made

पूजयामासworshipped, began to worship

देवताःthe deities

भक्त्याwith devotion

नnot

चand

एवindeed, even

अध्यगच्छत्obtained, found, reached

धनम्wealth

सम्पूज्यhaving duly worshipped

देवताःthe deities

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

devatāḥ (the deities)

dhana (wealth)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Devotional worship alone does not guarantee material gain; outcomes depend on a broader web of causes (karma, right means, and circumstance). The verse cautions against treating devotion as a mere instrument for wealth.

What is happening in the narrative?

A person, after making a determined decision, begins worshipping the deities with devotion, but despite proper worship he fails to obtain wealth—setting up a reflection on desire, effort, and the limits of ritual as a means to worldly ends.