Shloka 17

गोप्रदान-माहात्म्ये गोलोक-प्रश्नः

Gopradāna-Māhātmya: Inquiry into Goloka

Devanagari script

तिलाक्ष सम्प्रदातव्या यथाशक्ति द्विजर्षभ । नित्यदानात्‌ सर्वकामांस्तिला निर्वर्तयन्त्युत,द्विजश्रेष्ठी अपनी शक्तिके अनुसार तिलोंका दान अवश्य करना चाहिये। नित्यदान करनेसे तिल दाताकी सम्पूर्ण कामनाओंको पूर्ण कर देते हैं

Transliteration

tilākṣāḥ sampradātavyā yathāśakti dvijarṣabha | nityadānāt sarvakāmāṁs tilā nirvartayanti uta ||

Translation

तिलाक्षाः सम्प्रदातव्याः यथाशक्ति द्विजर्षभ। नित्यदानात् सर्वकामांस्तिला निर्वर्तयन्त्युत॥

Word by Word

तिलाःsesame seeds (as the subject)

सम्प्रदातव्याःare to be given / should be given

यथा-शक्तिaccording to (one's) ability

द्विजर्षभO bull among the twice-born (best of Brahmins)

नित्य-दानात्from/through regular giving (daily charity)

सर्व-कामान्all desires

तिलाःsesame seeds

निर्वर्तयन्तिbring about / accomplish / fulfill

उतindeed / also

Speaker

यम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yama

dvijarṣabha (a Brahmin addressee)

tila (sesame seeds)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Regular charity, even if modest and proportionate to one’s means, is praised; specifically, giving sesame seeds is presented as a meritorious act that supports the fulfillment of the donor’s legitimate aims.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused discourse, Yama addresses a Brahmin and prescribes a practical dharma: the daily donation of sesame seeds, emphasizing consistency and capacity-based giving.