Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

रन्तिदेवश्व सांकृत्यो वसिष्ठाय महात्मने । अप: प्रदाय शीतोष्णा नाकपृछ्ठे महीयते,संकृतिके पुत्र राजा रन्तिदेवने महात्मा वसिष्ठको शीतोष्ण जल प्रदान किया था, जिससे वे स्वर्गलोकमें प्रतिष्ठित हैं

Transliteration

Rantidevaś ca Sāṅkṛtyo Vasiṣṭhāya mahātmane | apaḥ pradāya śītoṣṇā nākapṛṣṭhe mahīyate ||

Translation

रन्तिदेवश्च सांकृत्यो वसिष्ठाय महात्मने । अपः प्रदाय शीतोष्णा नाकपृष्ठे महीयते ॥

Word by Word

रन्तिदेवःRantideva

चand

सांकृत्यःSaankritya (a person named Sāṅkṛtya)

वसिष्ठायto Vasiṣṭha

महात्मनेto the great-souled (one)

अपःwaters

प्रदायhaving given

शीतोष्णाःcold-and-warm (i.e., of varying temperature)

नाकपृष्ठेin heaven (lit. on the back/height of heaven)

महीयतेis honored / is glorified

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Rantideva

Saṅkṛti

Vasiṣṭha

Nāka (heaven)

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?

That dharma is upheld through compassionate service and generosity: even a simple gift like water, offered respectfully to a worthy person and suited to their need (cold or warm), yields great spiritual merit and honor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa cites Rantideva as an example: by giving water (of appropriate temperature) to the sage Vasiṣṭha, Rantideva gains renown and exalted status in heaven, illustrating the fruit of righteous giving.