Shloka 2

Adhyāya 42 (Śānti Parva): Śrāddha, Aurdhvadaihika Rites, and Royal Welfare Measures

Devanagari script

धृतराष्ट्रो ददौ राजा पुत्राणामौर्ध्वदेहिकम्‌ । सर्वकामगुणोपेतमन्नं गाश्न धनानि च

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

dhṛtarāṣṭro dadau rājā putrāṇām aurdhvadehikam |

sarvakāmagunopetam annaṃ gāś ca dhanāni ca ||

Translation

ਰਾਜਾ ਧ੍ਰਿਤਰਾਸ਼ਟਰ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਪੁੱਤਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਔਰਧ੍ਵਦੇਹਿਕ ਕਰਮ ਲਈ ਸਭ ਗੁਣਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਯੁਕਤ ਅੰਨ, ਗਾਂਵਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਧਨ ਦਾਨ ਕੀਤਾ।

Word by Word

• धृतराष्ट्रः: Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ददौ: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुत्राणाम्: of (his) sons
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• और्ध्वदेहिकम्: funeral/obsequial (rite/offerings)
• और्ध्वदेहिकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: और्ध्वदेहिक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वकामगुणोपेतम्: endowed with all desired qualities
• सर्वकामगुणोपेतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वकामगुणोपेत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गाः: cows
• गाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• अश्न: ate/consumed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (भक्षणे)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धनानि: wealths, riches
• धनानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Kauravas, collectively)
• food (anna)
• cows (gāḥ)
• wealth (dhanāni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid personal sorrow, one should uphold dharma through proper rites and charitable giving; fulfilling obligations to the departed is presented as a kingly and ethical duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra arranges and gives the prescribed after-death offerings for his slain sons, distributing food, cows, and wealth as part of the funerary/śrāddha-related observances.