Shloka 16

Adhyāya 59: On Giving to the Asker and Supporting the Non-asking (याचक-अयाचक-दाने धर्मः)

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा हृष्टो> भवद्‌ राजा वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह । एवमस्त्विति धर्मात्मा तदा भरतसत्तम

Transliteration

śrutvā hṛṣṭo 'bhavad rājā vākyam cedam uvāca ha | evam astv iti dharmātmā tadā bharatasattama ||

Translation

ఇది విని రాజు ఆనందించాడు; తరువాత ఈ మాట పలికాడు: “ఏవమస్తు.” అప్పుడు ఆ ధర్మాత్ముడు, భరతశ్రేష్ఠుడు అలాగే సమాధానమిచ్చాడు।

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), परस्मैपद-भाव

• हृष्टः: delighted
• हृष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: became
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वाक्यम्: speech, words
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• ह: indeed (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• अस्तु: let it be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• धर्मात्मा: the righteous-souled one
• धर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• भरतसत्तमः: best of the Bharatas
• भरतसत्तमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरतसत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• rājā (the king)
• bharatasattama (best of the Bharatas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A dharmic person responds to sound counsel with clarity and willing assent; the phrase “evam astu” signals ethical agreement and readiness to act in accordance with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing a preceding statement, the king is pleased and formally accepts it, replying “So be it,” and is described with honorific epithets emphasizing his righteousness and Bharata lineage.