Shloka 20

गोप्रदान-माहात्म्ये गोलोक-प्रश्नः

Gopradāna-Māhātmya: Inquiry into Goloka

Devanagari script

कार्य सततमिच्छटद्धि: श्रेय: सर्वात्मना गृहे । तथा55प: सर्वदा देया: पेयाश्वैव न संशय:,जो सदा कल्याणकी इच्छा रखते हैं, उन्हें सब प्रकारसे अपने घरमें तिलॉका दान और उपयोग करना चाहिये। इसी प्रकार सर्वदा जलका दान और पान करना चाहिये--इसमें संशय नहीं है

Transliteration

kāryaṃ satatam icchatā hi śreyaḥ sarvātmanā gṛhe | tathā āpaḥ sarvadā deyāḥ peyāś caiva na saṃśayaḥ ||

Translation

कार्यं सततमिच्छद्भिः श्रेयः सर्वात्मना गृहे। तथा आपः सर्वदा देयाः पेयाश्चैव न संशयः॥

Word by Word

कार्यःto be done / should be done

सततम्always, constantly

इच्छताby one who desires

हिindeed, for

श्रेयःthe good, welfare, merit

सर्वात्मनाwith one’s whole self; wholeheartedly

गृहेin the house/home

तथाlikewise, so

आपःwaters

सर्वदाalways

देयाःto be given / should be given

पेयाःto be drunk / should be drunk

एवindeed, certainly

नnot

संशयःdoubt

Speaker

यम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yama

gṛha (household)

tila (sesame)

āpaḥ (water)

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?

Yama emphasizes simple, continuous household dharma: sincerely pursue śreyas (true welfare) by habitual charity—especially giving water—and by maintaining meritorious domestic practices associated with sesame, without hesitation or doubt.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Yama speaks as an authority on dharma, prescribing everyday acts of giving and disciplined household conduct as reliable means to welfare and merit.