Shloka 33

Suvarṇa-dāna: Kārttikeya’s Origin and the Defeat of Tāraka (सुवर्णदान-प्रसङ्गे कार्त्तिकेय-उत्पत्ति तथा तारकवधः)

Devanagari script

वरयस्व वरं देवि दातास्मीति पुरंदर

Transliteration

varayasva varaṃ devi dātāsmīti purandara | satī sādhvī devī tvaṃ kasmād etad ghoraṃ tapaḥ karoṣi | śobhane mahābhāge tava tapasyāyāṃ suparituṣṭo 'smi | devi yathābhimataṃ varaṃ vṛṇu | purandara iti mayā surabhī vara-vṛddhyarthaṃ preritā |

Translation

Пурандара (Индра) сказал: «Выбери дар, о богиня; я готов его даровать». И добавил: «О добродетельная и целомудренная, зачем ты совершаешь столь суровую аскезу? О сияющая, о великосчастливая, я глубоко доволен твоим подвигом. О Деви, проси любой дар, какой пожелаешь». Так, о Пурандара, я побудил Сурабхи просить благодеяние.

Word by Word

• वरयस्व: choose (for yourself)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वरणे)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यम, एकवचन

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• देवि: O goddess
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• दाता: giver (grantor)
• दाता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दातृ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अस्मि: I am
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, उत्तम, एकवचन

• इति: thus (quoting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• पुरंदर: O Purandara (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरंदर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Purandara (Indra)
• Surabhī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Severe austerity (tapas) grounded in virtue draws divine approval, and the ethical use of divine favor is guided by discernment—one should ask for boons aligned with dharma rather than mere desire.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra, pleased by Surabhī’s intense penance, invites her to choose any boon. Bhīṣma narrates that he encouraged Surabhī to make her request, framing the moment as a response to her virtue and austerity.