Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 4

Adhyāya 142: Cyavana, the Devas’ Arrogance, and Vāyu’s Counsel on Protecting Brāhmaṇas

Devanagari script

शिबिरौशीनर: प्राणान्‌ प्रियस्य तनयस्य च । ब्राह्मणार्थमुपाकृत्य नाकपृष्ठमितो गत:

Transliteration

śibirauśīnaraḥ prāṇān priyasya tanayasya ca | brāhmaṇārtham upākṛtya nākapṛṣṭham ito gataḥ ||

Translation

ਉਸ਼ੀਨਰ ਵੰਸ਼ ਦੇ ਰਾਜਾ ਸ਼ਿਬੀ ਨੇ ਇੱਕ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਦੇ ਹਿਤ ਲਈ ਆਪਣੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਣ ਅਤੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਪੁੱਤਰ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਣ ਵੀ ਅਰਪਣ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤੇ; ਅਤੇ ਇੱਥੋਂ ਸਵਰਗ ਲੋਕ ਨੂੰ ਚਲੇ ਗਏ।

Word by Word

• शिबिरौशीनरः: Śibi, the Auśīnara (king)
• शिबिरौशीनरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिबिर-औशीनर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राणान्: life-breaths; life
• प्राणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रियस्य: of (his) beloved
• प्रियस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तनयस्य: of (his) son
• तनयस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

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

• ब्राह्मणार्थम्: for the sake of a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणार्थम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण-अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपाकृत्य: having offered; having rendered (as a gift/service)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-√कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• नाकपृष्ठम्: the surface of heaven; heaven
• नाकपृष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाक-पृष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इतः: from here; hence
• इतः: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतः

• गतः: went; departed; attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used actively), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śibi (Rauśīnara/Uśīnara descendant)
• a brāhmaṇa
• heaven (nākapṛṣṭha)
• Śibi’s son

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that dharma-centered giving (dāna) may demand extreme personal sacrifice; honoring a righteous brāhmaṇa’s claim and keeping one’s moral commitment is portrayed as so meritorious that it leads to heavenly attainment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma cites King Śibi as an exemplar: Śibi fulfills a brāhmaṇa’s purpose by offering even his own life and his beloved son’s life, and after completing this act of sacrifice he departs from the human world to heaven (nākapṛṣṭha).