Shloka 23

अध्याय २८१ — दानधर्मः, न्यायागतधनम्, ऋणत्रय-परिशोधनं च

Dāna ethics, lawful wealth, and settling obligations

Devanagari script

मुच्यतां त्रिदशेन्द्रोडयं मत्प्रियं कुरु भाविनि

Transliteration

mucyatāṃ tridaśendro 'yaṃ matpriyaṃ kuru bhāvini | bhāvini ye devatānāṃ rājā indraḥ, etān muñca | mama idaṃ priyaṃ kāryaṃ kuru | brūhi, ahaṃ tava kāṃ kāmām abhilāṣāṃ pūrayāmi | tvaṃ yaṃ yaṃ manorathaṃ prāptum icchasi taṃ vada ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు అన్నాడు—ఓ భావిని! దేవరాజైన ఈ ఇంద్రుణ్ని విడిచిపెట్టు. నాకు ప్రియమైన కార్యం చేయి; ఇతనిని విముక్తం చేయి. చెప్పు—నీ ఏ కోరికను నేను నెరవేర్చాలి? నీవు పొందదలచిన ఏ మనోరథమో అది తెలియజెప్పు.

Word by Word

• मुच्यताम्: let (him) be released / let (him) go
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच्
• Form: लोट् (imperative), आत्मनेपद, 3, singular, passive (कर्मणि प्रयोग)

• त्रिदशेन्द्रः: the lord of the thirty (gods), i.e., Indra
• त्रिदशेन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदशेन्द्र
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• उडयम्: Uḍaya (proper name) / (as written) Uḍaya
• उडयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उडय
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• मत्प्रियम्: dear to me / my desired (thing)
• मत्प्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्प्रिय
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• कुरु: do (it)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, 2, singular

• भाविनि: O lady / O auspicious one
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाविनी
• Form: feminine, vocative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Indra (Tridaśendra, king of the gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds ethical restraint and compassionate action: even when one has power over another, dharma is served by releasing the worthy and by channeling one’s agency into a request that benefits order and righteousness, not domination.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma addresses a noble lady and urges her to release Indra, identified as the king of the gods. He frames this as a personal request and, in return, offers to fulfill any desire she may name—establishing a boon-like exchange grounded in persuasion rather than coercion.