Shloka 21
Āśrama-dharma and Brahmacarya: Śuka’s Inquiry on Karma and Tyāga (शुक-प्रश्नः कर्मत्यागविवेकश्च)
दिव्यमष्टशलाकं तु सौवर्ण परमर्द्धिमत् । छत्र॑ देवावृधो दत्त्वा सराष्ट्रो5भ्यपतद् दिवम्
divyam aṣṭaśalākaṃ tu sauvarṇaṃ paramarddhimat | chatraṃ devāvṛdho dattvā sarāṣṭro 'bhyapatad divam ||
Wika ni Vyāsa: Si Haring Devāvṛdha, matapos maghandog ng isang maringal na payong na may walong tadyang, yari sa ginto at napakamahal, ay umakyat sa langit kasama ang kanyang kaharian (ibig sabihin, kasama ang kanyang nasasakupan at mga tao). Binibigyang-diin ng taludtod ang kapangyarihan ng dāna: ang handog ng isang hari na iniaalay nang matuwid ay nagiging sanhi ng dakilang hantungan pagkamatay, at ang biyaya’y umaabot pa sa mga nasa ilalim ng kanyang pag-aaruga.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Righteous giving (dāna), especially of valuable and symbolically significant gifts, generates great merit (puṇya) leading to heavenly attainment; the king’s dharmic conduct is portrayed as benefiting not only himself but also his realm/people.
Vyāsa narrates an exemplum: King Devāvṛdha donates a magnificent golden parasol with eight ribs, and as a result he ascends to heaven ‘with his kingdom,’ indicating the expansive, protective scope of a king’s merit when he practices dharma through generosity.