Shloka 10

मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity

Devanagari script

यज्ञ बहुसुवर्ण वा वासवप्रियमाचरेत्‌

Transliteration

yajñaṃ bahusuvarṇaṃ vā vāsavapriyam ācaret

Translation

यज्ञं बहुसुवर्णं वा वासवप्रियं आचरेत् ।

Word by Word

• यज्ञम्: sacrifice
• यज्ञम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बहुसुवर्णम्: having much gold / rich in gold
• बहुसुवर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुसुवर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• वासवप्रियम्: dear to Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवप्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वासवप्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आचरेत्: should perform / should undertake
• आचरेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Vāsava (Indra)
• yajña (sacrifice)
• suvarṇa (gold)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

To pursue dharmic merit through sanctioned religious action—either by performing sacrifice (yajña) or by giving abundant wealth (gold) as a form of righteous generosity—framed as deeds that please Vāsava (Indra), a marker of Vedic approval.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, in his instructional discourse (Anuśāsana Parva), continues advising on righteous conduct and merit-producing acts, recommending yajña or lavish giving as exemplary practices aligned with traditional Vedic ideals.