Shloka 52

Kurukṣetra Pilgrimage: Sages Praise Kṛṣṇa; Vasudeva Inquires on Karma; Viṣṇu-yajña Performed

Devanagari script

अथर्त्विग्भ्योऽददात् काले यथाम्नातं स दक्षिणा: । स्वलङ्कृतेभ्योऽलङ्कृत्य गोभूकन्या महाधना: ॥ ५२ ॥

Transliteration

athartvigbhyo ’dadāt kāle yathāmnātaṁ sa dakṣiṇāḥ sv-alaṅkṛtebhyo ’laṅkṛtya go-bhū-kanyā mahā-dhanāḥ

Translation

తర్వాత తగిన సమయంలో శాస్త్రోక్తంగా వసుదేవుడు ఋత్వికులకు దక్షిణలు ఇచ్చాడు—ఇప్పటికే అలంకృతులైన వారిని మరింత ఆభరణాలతో అలంకరించి, గోవులు, భూమి, కన్యలు వంటి మహాధనాలను దానమిచ్చాడు।

Synonyms

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय; discourse particle ‘then/thereupon’

• ऋत्विग्भ्यः: to the priests
• ऋत्विग्भ्यः: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) बहुवचन; Dative plural

• अददात्: gave
• अददात्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• काले: at the proper time
• काले: अधिकरण (Location/Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण) एकवचन; Locative singular ‘at the proper time’

• यथा-आम्नातम्: as enjoined
• यथा-आम्नातम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + आम्नात (कृदन्त; √म्ना/√मन् ‘to hand down/recite’ with आ)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; ‘as prescribed/traditionally enjoined’; functions adverbially

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; Nominative singular

• दक्षिणाः: dakṣiṇā gifts (priestly fees)
• दक्षिणाः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन; Accusative plural ‘fees/gifts’

• सु-अलङ्कृतेभ्यः: to the well-adorned (priests)
• सु-अलङ्कृतेभ्यः: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + अलङ्कृत (कृदन्त; √अलङ्कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘well-adorned’; Dative plural (to those well-adorned)

• अलङ्कृत्य: having adorned (them)
• अलङ्कृत्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action/क्त्वा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलङ्कृत्य (कृदन्त; √अलङ्कृ)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) ‘having adorned (them)’

• गो-भू-कन्याः: cows, land, and maidens
• गो-भू-कन्याः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + भू (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास; Accusative plural (items given)

• महा-धनाः: very valuable, great riches
• महा-धनाः: विशेषण (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन; कर्मधारय ‘very rich/valuable’; agrees with (दक्षिणाः understood / gifts)

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about giving dakṣiṇā to priests after a yajña?

This verse states that at the proper time one should give the officiating priests the dakṣiṇā exactly as prescribed by Vedic injunctions, showing respect for sacred duty and scriptural order.

Why are cows, land, and maidens mentioned as gifts in this Bhagavatam verse?

They represent major forms of traditional Vedic charity—supporting livelihood (cows), sustenance and stability (land), and social responsibility through properly endowed marital gifts—given here in great abundance as part of honoring the ritual and its participants.

What is a practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Honor those who serve sacred or beneficial work by giving timely, fair compensation and sincere appreciation—according to ethical guidelines—rather than neglecting or exploiting their service.