Shanti Parva Adhyaya 234 Shloka 12 - Mahabharata | Sanskrit | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 12

Āśrama-dharma and Brahmacarya: Śuka’s Inquiry on Karma and Tyāga (शुक-प्रश्नः कर्मत्यागविवेकश्च)

Devanagari script

याज्यत: शिष्यतो वापि कन्‍्याया वा धनं महत्‌ | यदा55गच्छेद्‌ यजेद्‌ दद्यान्नैको5श्रीयात्‌ कथंचन

Transliteration

yājyataḥ śiṣyataḥ vāpi kanyāyā vā dhanaṃ mahat | yadā gacched yajed dadyān naiko 'śrīyāt kathaṃcana ||

Translation

व्यास उवाच—याज्यतः शिष्यतो वापि कन्यायाः शुल्कतोऽपि वा यदा महद्धनं प्राप्नुयात्, तदा तेनैव यजेत्, दद्यात्; न कदाचनैकः स्वार्थमेव तत् धनं भुञ्जीत।

Word by Word

याज्यतःfrom (one who is) to be made to perform a sacrifice / from a patron for whom a sacrifice is performed

शिष्यतःfrom a student/disciple

वाor

अपिalso/even

कन्यायाःof a maiden (as bride-price context)

वाor

धनम्wealth

महत्great/large

यदाwhen

आगच्छेत्should come/should be obtained

यजेत्he should sacrifice/perform a yajña

दद्यात्he should give (in charity)

नnot

एकःalone

अश्रीयात्should resort to/should enjoy (for himself)

कथंचनin any way/at all

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

student (śiṣya)

maiden/daughter (kanyā)

wealth (dhana)

sacrifice (yajña)

gift/charity (dāna)

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?

Wealth gained through socially and ritually significant channels (priestly fees, teaching remuneration, or marriage-related payments) should be redirected toward yajña and dāna, not hoarded or enjoyed selfishly; prosperity is to be shared and sanctified through duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Vyāsa lays down a rule of conduct: when such wealth is obtained, the recipient should use it for sacrificial acts and charitable giving, avoiding exclusive personal enjoyment.