Mahabharata 3.201.11 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 201, Shloka 11

Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

राजन! इसीलिये मनुष्यको चाहिये कि वह स्वर्ग-मार्गपर अधिकार पानेकी इच्छासे सभी अवस्थाओंमें (श्रेष्ठ) ब्राह्मणोंको ही सब प्रकारके दान दे

Transliteration

rājan! tasmān manuṣyeṇa svargamārgādhikāraprāptikāmatayā sarvāsv avasthāsu śreṣṭhebhya eva brāhmaṇebhyaḥ sarvaprakāraṃ dānaṃ dātavyam.

Translation

राजन्! तस्मान्नरः स्वर्गमार्गाधिकारकामः सर्वावस्थासु श्रेष्ठेभ्य एव ब्राह्मणेभ्यः सर्वप्रकारं दानं दद्यात् ॥

Word by Word

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तस्मात्: therefore
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्

• मनुष्यः: a man/person
• मनुष्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इच्छया: with the desire
• इच्छया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• स्वर्गमार्गाधिकारप्राप्तिम्: attainment of entitlement to the path to heaven
• स्वर्गमार्गाधिकारप्राप्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्गमार्गाधिकारप्राप्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वासु: in all
• सर्वासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• अवस्थासु: conditions/states
• अवस्थासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवस्था
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: to Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Plural

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सर्वप्रकाराणि: all kinds (of)
• सर्वप्रकाराणि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वप्रकार
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• दानानि: gifts/charities
• दानानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• दद्यात्: should give
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• rājan (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Charity (dāna), when directed to worthy Brahmins and maintained across all life-situations, is presented as a key dharmic means for gaining qualification (adhikāra) for the heavenly path—emphasizing intention, consistency, and proper recipients.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya addresses a king and draws a conclusion (“therefore”) from preceding discussion, advising him on the ethical practice of giving: one who desires heavenly attainment should give various forms of gifts to excellent Brahmins in every circumstance.