Shloka 34

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच अर्घ्य पाद्यं च दत्त्वा स तेभ्यस्तत्र समागमे । अब्रवीत्‌ परमप्रीत: स्वशक्‍्त्या कि करोमि व:,भीष्मजी कहते हैं--राजन्‌! वहाँ उन सबका समागम होनेपर ब्राह्मणने उनके लिये अर्घ्य और पाद्य देकर बड़ी प्रसन्नताके साथ कहा--'देवताओ! मैं अपनी शक्तिके अनुसार आपलोगोंकी क्या सेवा करूँ?”

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | arghya-pādyaṃ ca dattvā sa tebhyaḥ tatra samāgame | abravīt paramaprītaḥ svaśaktyā kiṃ karomi vaḥ ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: «О царь, когда все они собрались там, брахман воздал им обычные почести — поднёс аргьхью и воду для омовения стоп. Затем, исполненный великой радости, он обратился к ним: “О божественные, какое служение могу я совершить для вас по мере моих сил?”»

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

उवाचsaid/spoke

अर्घ्यम्honorary offering (arghya)

पाद्यम्water for washing the feet (pādya)

चand

दत्त्वाhaving given

सःhe

तेभ्यःto them

तत्रthere

समागमेat the gathering/meeting

अब्रवीत्said

परमप्रीतःvery pleased

स्वशक्त्याby/according to (his) own ability

किम्what

करोमिshall I do / do I do

वःfor you (all) / of you

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

King (Yudhishthira, implied by context of Shanti Parva narration)

a brahmin (unnamed in this verse)

devas/divine beings (addressed as 'devatāḥ')

arghya

pādya

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma expressed as respectful hospitality and humble service: one should honor worthy guests with proper rites (arghya, pādya) and offer help within one’s means (svaśaktyā), without pride or neglect.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the divine visitors gather, a brahmin receives them formally by offering arghya and water for washing their feet. Delighted, he asks what service he can provide them according to his capacity.