Shloka 59

तीर्थवंशोपदेशः

Tīrtha-vaṃśa Upadeśa: Instruction on the Fruits of Sacred Waters

Devanagari script

महाफलविधिदनि श्रुतस्ते भरतर्षभ । निरयं येन गच्छन्ति स्वर्ग चैव हि तत्‌ शूणु

Transliteration

Mahāphalavidhidāni śrutaste Bharatarṣabha | Nirayaṁ yena gacchanti svargaṁ caiva hi tat śṛṇu, Bharataśreṣṭha ||

Translation

భరతశ్రేష్ఠా! మహాఫలమిచ్చే దానవిధిని నీవు నన్ను విని తెలుసుకున్నావు. ఇప్పుడు ఏ కర్మల వల్ల మనుష్యుడు నరకానికి, అలాగే స్వర్గానికి కూడా చేరుతాడో—అది వినుము।

Word by Word

• महाफलविधिः: the rule/means of great merit (great fruit)
• महाफलविधिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाफलविधि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अदानी: now/at this point (as read in the given text)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अदानी

• श्रुतः: heard / has been heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular

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

• निरयम्: hell
• निरयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• गच्छन्ति: they go
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

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

• हि: for/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• तत्: that (topic/thing)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शृणु: hear (listen)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भरतश्रेष्ठ: O best of the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira (implied by epithets Bharatarṣabha/Bharataśreṣṭha)
• Svarga
• Niraya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma transitions from explaining high-merit forms of charity (dāna) to a broader karmic framework: specific actions lead to either niraya (hell) or svarga (heaven). The verse frames ethical causality—deeds have consequences beyond this life.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s dharma-instruction, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira. Having already described the rules and fruits of giving, he now introduces the next section: an account of deeds that result in heavenly or hellish destinies.