Shloka 12

Devanagari script

अजाविकं गोखरोष्ट्रं सुवर्ण रजतं तथा । भोजयित्वा द्विजान्‌ कामै: संतर्प्प च महाधनै:

Transliteration

ajāvikaṃ gokharoṣṭraṃ suvarṇa-rajataṃ tathā | bhojayitvā dvijān kāmaiḥ santarpya ca mahādhanaiḥ ||

Translation

వైశంపాయనుడు పలికెను—అతడు గొర్రెలు-మేకలు, ఆవులు, గాడిదలు, ఒంటెలు, అలాగే బంగారం-వెండిని దానమిచ్చి, తరువాత ద్విజ బ్రాహ్మణులను వారి కోరిక ప్రకారం భోజనముచేయించి, మహాధనములతో తృప్తిపరచెను.

Word by Word

अजाविकम्goats and sheep (livestock)

गोखरोष्ट्रम्cows, donkeys, and camels

सुवर्णम्gold

रजतम्silver

तथाand also; likewise

भोजयित्वाhaving fed (having caused to eat)

द्विजान्Brahmins (twice-born)

कामैःwith desired objects; with pleasures

संतर्प्यhaving satisfied; having gratified

चand

महाधनैःwith great riches; with abundant wealth

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

dvija (Brahmins)

sheep

goats

cows

donkeys

camels

gold

silver

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 highlights dāna and atithi-satkara (generous giving and hospitality): wealth is portrayed as ethically meaningful when used to honor and satisfy the learned (dvijas) through gifts and food, thereby accruing religious merit and upholding social-religious duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a figure is described performing lavish acts of generosity—donating livestock and precious metals and then feeding Brahmins according to their desires—indicating a formal, merit-oriented distribution of wealth in the story’s unfolding events.