Shloka 29

उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel

Devanagari script

अथ दर्भाक्ष वन्यांश्षु ओषधीर्भरतर्षभ । पवित्रमासनं चैव बूसीं च समुपानयत्‌

Transliteration

atha darbākṣa-vanyāṃś ca oṣadhīr bharatarṣabha | pavitram āsanaṃ caiva bhasmīṃ ca samupānayat ||

Translation

తర్వాత, ఓ భరతశ్రేష్ఠా, అతడు దర్భ (కుశ) గడ్డి, అడవిలో పుట్టిన ఔషధులు, పవిత్ర ఆసనం, అలాగే భస్మాన్ని కూడా తీసుకొచ్చాడు.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• दर्भान्: darbha grasses
• दर्भान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अक्षान्: aksha seeds/nuts (dice-nuts)
• अक्षान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वन्यान्: wild (forest-grown)
• वन्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ओषधीः: herbs/medicinal plants
• ओषधीः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओषधी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पवित्रम्: purifying, sacred
• पवित्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आसनम्: seat
• आसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

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

• भूसीम्: straw/chaff (a bedding/spread)
• भूसीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूसी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• समुपानयत्: brought/caused to be brought near
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उप+नी
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bharatarṣabha (addressed person, typically Yudhiṣṭhira)
• darbha grass
• forest herbs (oṣadhis)
• pavitra āsana (consecrated seat)
• bhasma (sacred ash)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharmic practice is upheld through purity and proper observance: sacred acts require both inner intention and outward preparation using purifying materials (darbha, herbs, a consecrated seat, ash).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes (or reports) the gathering of ritual requisites—darbha grass, forest herbs, a purified seat, and sacred ash—indicating that a rite or disciplined observance is about to be performed with due propriety.