Mahabharata 3.201.30 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 201, Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

सुवर्णस्य विशुद्धस्य सुवर्ण य: प्रयच्छति

Transliteration

suvarṇasya viśuddhasya suvarṇaḥ yaḥ prayacchati

Translation

தூய்மையாக்கப்பட்ட நிர்மலமான பொன்னைக் யார் தானமாக அளிக்கிறாரோ, அவர் பெரும் புண்ணியப் பயனை அடைவார்.

Word by Word

• सुवर्णस्य: of gold
• सुवर्णस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• विशुद्धस्य: of pure (refined)
• विशुद्धस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशुद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सुवर्णम्: gold
• सुवर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवर्ण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रयच्छति: gives, bestows
• प्रयच्छति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (यच्छ्)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• gold (suvarṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dāna-dharma: giving is especially meritorious when the gift is pure and of good quality, implying sincerity, non-deception, and respect for the recipient.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is speaking within a dharma-oriented discourse, presenting a rule-of-thumb about the spiritual/ethical value of donating refined (viśuddha) gold, as part of broader instruction on righteous conduct and merit.