Shloka 4

Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala

On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving

Devanagari script

चित्रशालाक्ष विविधास्तोरणानि च भारत । शाद्वलोपचितां भूमिं तथा काञ्चनकुट्टिमाम्‌

Transliteration

citraśālā-kṣāḥ vividhās toraṇāni ca bhārata | śādvalopacitāṃ bhūmiṃ tathā kāñcana-kuṭṭimām ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—اے بھارت، وہاں طرح طرح کی خوب آراستہ تصویریں آویزاں ہالیں اور شاندار دروازے (تورَن) تھے؛ زمین کہیں تازہ سبز گھاس سے ڈھکی تھی اور کہیں سونے سے منڈھی پختہ فرش بندی تھی۔

Word by Word

• चित्रशालाक्ष: having variegated/painted halls (or: with splendid halls)
• चित्रशालाक्ष: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र-शालाक्ष
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• विविधानि: various
• विविधानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• तोरणानि: arches/gateways
• तोरणानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोरण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शाद्वलोपचिताम्: covered/overgrown with grass
• शाद्वलोपचिताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाद्वल-उपचित
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• भूमिम्: ground/earth
• भूमिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

• काञ्चनकुट्टिमाम्: a golden pavement/flooring
• काञ्चनकुट्टिमाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काञ्चन-कुट्टिमा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhārata (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• citraśālāḥ (ornamented halls)
• toraṇāni (gateways/arches)
• śādvalopacitā bhūmi (turf-covered ground)
• kāñcana-kuṭṭimā (golden pavement)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse supports a dharmic ideal of orderly, auspicious preparation for a righteous royal or ritual context: prosperity and beauty are presented as appropriate when aligned with duty and proper conduct, not as mere indulgence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing a richly prepared setting—ornamented halls and ceremonial gateways, with the ground laid with turf and golden paving—evoking the grandeur and auspicious arrangement of a royal/ritual venue while instructing Yudhiṣṭhira.