Mahabharata — Vana Parva, Shloka 2

Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

कीदृशीषु हावस्थासु दत्त्वा दानं महामुने

Transliteration

kīdṛśīṣu hāvasthāsu dattvā dānaṃ mahāmune

Translation

Sinabi ni Vaiśaṃpāyana: “O dakilang pantas, sa anong mga kalagayan at kundisyon nagiging tunay na may bisa bilang mapagkawanggawang handog ang isang kaloob na naibigay na?”

Word by Word

• कीदृशीषु: in what kind of (states/conditions)
• कीदृशीषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीदृश
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• अवस्थासु: in conditions, situations
• अवस्थासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवस्था
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• दत्त्वा: having given
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund), non-finite

• दानम्: a gift, charity
• दानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महामुने: O great sage
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical inquiry into dāna: merit depends not only on the act of giving but also on the circumstances and the giver’s condition—prompting a discussion on intention, appropriateness, and dharmic context.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Vana Parva’s didactic flow, Vaiśaṃpāyana introduces or relays a question to a great sage about the proper conditions under which charity should be given, setting up guidance on righteous giving.