Shloka 41

Adhyāya 60: Dāna vs. Yajña—Royal Giving, Protection, and Karmic Share

Devanagari script

पितामहस्यानवरो वीरशायी भवेन्नर: । नाधथिकं विद्यते यस्मादित्याहु: परमर्षय:,'संग्रामभूमिमें वीरशय्यापर शयन करनेवाला पुरुष ब्रह्माजीके समान हो जाता है। ब्रह्माजीसे बढ़कर कुछ भी नहीं है--ऐसा महर्षियोंका कथन है”

Transliteration

pitāmahasyānavaro vīraśāyī bhavennaraḥ | nādhikaṁ vidyate yasmād ityāhuḥ paramarṣayaḥ ||

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు పలికెను— యుద్ధభూమిలో వీరశయ్యపై శయనించువాడు (అంటే యుద్ధంలో వీరమరణం పొందువాడు) పితామహుడైన బ్రహ్మతో సమానుడగును. ఎందుకంటే ఆయనకన్నా ఉన్నతమైనది ఏదీ లేదు—అని పరమర్షులు ప్రకటించారు.

Word by Word

पितामहस्यof Brahmā (the grandsire)

अनवरःequal to; not inferior

वीरशायीone who lies on a hero’s bed (dies on the battlefield)

भवेत्would become / should be

नरःa man

नnot

अधिकम्greater; superior (thing)

विद्यतेexists; is found

यस्मात्because of which; from whom/which

इतिthus (quotative)

आहुःthey said / they declare

परमर्षयःthe supreme sages

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pitāmaha (Brahmā)

Paramarṣis (great sages)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that dying a heroic death in battle (vīraśayyā) is regarded as an exceptionally meritorious fulfillment of kṣatriya-duty, so exalted that it is compared to attaining the status of Brahmā, the highest cosmic progenitor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports a traditional valuation voiced by great sages: the warrior who falls on the battlefield is praised as reaching the highest honor, reinforcing the Anuśāsana Parva’s broader instruction on dharma, duties, and the fruits of righteous conduct.