Shloka 15

Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala

On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving

Devanagari script

गीतध्वनिं सुमधुरं तथैवाध्यापनध्वनिम्‌ । हंसान्‌ सुमधुरांश्चापि तत्र शुश्राव पार्थिव:

Transliteration

gītadhvaniṃ sumadhuraṃ tathaivādhyāpanadhvanim | haṃsān sumadhurāṃś cāpi tatra śuśrāva pārthivaḥ ||

Translation

ณ ที่นั้น พระราชาทรงได้ยินบ้างเป็นเสียงเพลงอันไพเราะยิ่ง บ้างเป็นเสียงสวดทบทวนพระเวทอันขรึมขลัง และบ้างเป็นเสียงร้องอันรื่นหูของหงส์

Word by Word

• गीतध्वनिम्: the sound of song/music
• गीतध्वनिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीतध्वनि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सुमधुरम्: very sweet
• सुमधुरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमधुर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: likewise/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अध्यापनध्वनिम्: the sound of recitation/teaching (study)
• अध्यापनध्वनिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्यापनध्वनि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हंसान्: swans
• हंसान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सुमधुरान्: very sweet (voiced)
• सुमधुरान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमधुर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• शुश्राव: heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पार्थिवः: the king/earthly ruler
• पार्थिवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• the king (pārthiva)
• song/music (gīta)
• Vedic recitation/study (adhyāpana)
• swans (haṃsa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A dharmic realm is marked by balanced cultivation: refined arts (music), disciplined sacred learning (Vedic recitation), and a peaceful natural environment. The verse suggests that ethical governance supports both culture and spiritual practice, producing harmony rather than noise or disorder.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes what the king hears in that place—alternating sounds of melodious singing, the grave cadence of Vedic study, and the sweet calls of swans—painting an atmosphere of serenity, learning, and well-ordered royal life.