Shloka 20

अध्याय २७०: प्रहस्त-वधः, धूम्राक्ष-हननं, कुम्भकर्ण-प्रबोधनम्

Chapter 270: Slaying of Prahasta; Defeat of Dhūmrākṣa; Awakening of Kumbhakarṇa

Devanagari script

ददाति कस्मैचिदनरह्ते तनुं वराज्यपूर्णामिव भस्मनि खुचम्‌ | पुरा तुषाग्नाविव हूयते हवि: पुरा श्मशाने स्रगिवापविद्धयते

Transliteration

dadāti kasmaicid anarhate tanuṁ varājyapūrṇām iva bhasmani khucam | purā tuṣāgnāv iva hūyate haviḥ purā śmaśāne srag ivāpavidhyate

Translation

வைசம்பாயனர் கூறினார்— தகுதியற்றவனுக்குத் தானம் அளிப்பது, அரசர்க்குரிய நறுமணக் களிம்பு நிரம்பிய பாத்திரத்தைச் சாம்பலில் ஊற்றுவது போன்றது. அது துவரின் தீயில் ஹவியை அர்ப்பணிப்பதுபோலும்; சுடுகாட்டில் மாலையை எறிவதுபோலும்.

Word by Word

ददातिgives

कस्मैचित्to someone

अनर्हतेto an unworthy (person)

तनुम्body

वराज्यपूर्णाम्filled with excellent kingship/royalty

इवas if/like

भस्मनिin ashes

खुचम्a ladle/scoop (for offerings)

पुराformerly; as in (the example)

तुषाग्नौin a chaff-fire

इवlike

हूयतेis offered (as oblation)

हविःoblation

पुराas in (the example)

श्मशानेin a cremation-ground

स्रक्garland

इवlike

अपविद्ध्यतेis cast away/abandoned

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

ashes (bhasman)

fire of chaff (tuṣāgni)

oblation (havis)

cremation-ground (śmaśāna)

garland (sraj)

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?

Gifts should be guided by viveka (discernment): giving to an unworthy recipient is compared to wasting precious offerings in ashes or a worthless fire, implying that charity gains meaning and merit only when aligned with dharma and fitness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana delivers a moral observation using vivid similes: a valuable substance poured into ashes, oblations offered into a chaff-fire, and a garland thrown in a cremation-ground—each image illustrating the futility of misdirected generosity.