Shloka 50

अध्याय २८१ — दानधर्मः, न्यायागतधनम्, ऋणत्रय-परिशोधनं च

Dāna ethics, lawful wealth, and settling obligations

Devanagari script

राजन्‌! वे सब अमित तेजस्वी पितामह ब्रह्माजीके पास पहुँचकर उन्हें प्रणाम करके इस प्रकार बोले-- ।।

Transliteration

rājan! te sarve 'mita-tejasaḥ pitāmahaṁ brahmāṇaṁ samupetya taṁ praṇamyaivam ūcuḥ— imāḥ sma deva samprāptās tvat-sakāśam ariṁdama | śāsanāt tava lokeśa samājñāpaya naḥ prabho |

Translation

Bhīṣma disse: «Ó Rei, todos aqueles seres de esplendor incomensurável aproximaram-se do Avô Brahmā. Após se prostrarem, disseram: “Ó Deus, subjugador de inimigos, Senhor dos mundos! Por tua ordem viemos à tua presença para servir. Ordena-nos, ó Mestre: que serviço devemos realizar?”»

Word by Word

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• इमाः: these
• इमाः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• सम्: together / fully
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्

• देव: O god
• देव: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सम्प्राप्ताः: having arrived / come
• सम्प्राप्ताः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Kta (past passive participle)

• त्वत्: from you
• त्वत्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• सकाशम्: presence / vicinity
• सकाशम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सकाश
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अरिंदम: O subduer of foes
• अरिंदम: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरिंदम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शासनात्: by/through (your) command
• शासनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• तव: of you / your
• तव: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• लोकेश: O lord of the world
• लोकेश: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकेश
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• समाज्ञापय: command / order
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-ज्ञा
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नः: to us
• नः: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Plural

• प्रभो: O lord
• प्रभो: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Rājan (the king, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira as listener)
• Unnamed radiant beings (te sarve amita-tejasaḥ; likely devas/attendants in context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined devotion: powerful beings still approach the cosmic authority with humility, seeking explicit instruction. Ethical action is framed as service performed under rightful command, aligning personal power with dharma and cosmic order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that radiant beings go to Brahmā, bow to him, and report that they have arrived by his order. They ask what task or service he wishes them to carry out.