Shloka 346

Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala

On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving

Devanagari script

उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा तर्पयन्निव भारत | भरतवंशी नरेश! तदनन्तर स्वस्थ होकर भृगुपुत्र च्यवन मुनि अपनी स्निग्ध मुधर वाणीद्वारा राजाको तृप्त करते हुए-से बोले--

Transliteration

uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā tarpayann iva bhārata | bharatavaṃśī nareśa! tad-anantaraṃ svasthaḥ bhūtvā bhṛguputraś cyavana munir ātmanaḥ snigdha-madhura-vāṇyā rājānaṃ tṛpayann iva uvāca ||

Translation

భారతవంశీయ రాజా! ఆపై స్థిరమనస్కుడై భృగుపుత్రుడైన చ్యవన ముని, స్నిగ్ధమైన శ్లక్ష్ణమైన మధుర వాణితో—నిన్ను తృప్తిపరుస్తున్నట్లుగా—రాజునితో పలికెను.

Word by Word

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• श्लक्ष्णया: with gentle/smooth
• श्लक्ष्णया: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लक्ष्ण
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• वाचा: speech/voice
• वाचा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• तर्पयन्: satisfying/pleasing
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• भारत: O Bharata (descendant of Bharata)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhārata (address to the listener, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Bharata dynasty
• Cyavana
• Bhṛgu
• King (nareśa/rājā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical power of speech: a wise person, especially a sage advising a ruler, should speak with gentleness and sweetness, using words that calm, satisfy, and guide rather than agitate.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that after the preceding events, the sage Cyavana (son of Bhṛgu) becomes composed and then addresses the king in a soothing, pleasing manner, preparing to deliver counsel or instruction.