Shloka 54

तीर्थवंशोपदेशः

Tīrtha-vaṃśa Upadeśa: Instruction on the Fruits of Sacred Waters

Devanagari script

हृतस्वा ह्तदाराश्ष ये विप्रा देशसम्प्लवे । अर्थार्थमभिगच्छन्ति तेभ्यो दत्त महाफलम्‌

Transliteration

hṛtasvā hṛtadārāś ca ye viprā deśasamplave | arthārtham abhigacchanti tebhyo dattaṃ mahāphalam ||

Translation

ภีษมะกล่าวว่า—ครั้นแผ่นดินตกอยู่ในหายนะและความระส่ำระสาย พราหมณ์ทั้งหลายผู้ถูกปล้นทรัพย์และถูกชิงภรรยา หากมาขอทรัพย์เพื่อยังชีพ ทานที่มอบแก่ผู้ทุกข์ยากเหล่านั้นย่อมให้ผลบุญยิ่งใหญ่ยิ่ง

Word by Word

• हृतस्वाः: those whose own (wealth) has been taken away
• हृतस्वाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृत-स्व (हृत + स्व)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हृतदाराः: those whose wives have been taken away
• हृतदाराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृत-दार (हृत + दार)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विप्राः: brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• देशसम्प्लवे: in the calamity/overturning of the land
• देशसम्प्लवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश-सम्प्लव (देश + सम्प्लव)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अर्थार्थम्: for the sake of wealth
• अर्थार्थम्: Prayojana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अर्थ-अर्थ (अर्थ + अर्थ)

• अभिगच्छन्ति: they approach
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (अभि + गम्)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• तेभ्यः: to them
• तेभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Plural

• दत्तम्: given (gift/charity)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• महाफलम्: of great fruit; highly meritorious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-फल (महा + फल)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• viprāḥ (Brahmins)
• deśa (the land/kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Charity gains exceptional merit when directed to those in acute distress—especially during societal calamity—because it preserves life, dignity, and dharma when normal supports have collapsed.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he describes a time of regional upheaval (deśasamplava) and notes that Brahmins who have been robbed of wealth and family security may approach for support; giving to them is declared highly fruitful.