Shloka 20

कुण्डधारोपाख्यानम्

Kuṇḍadhāra-Upākhyāna: Dharma’s Superiority over Wealth and Desire

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच ततो<5चिरेण कालेन तुलाधार: स एव च । दिवं गत्वा महाप्राज्ञौ विहरेतां यथासुखम्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca tato 'cireṇa kālena tulādhāraḥ sa eva ca | divaṃ gatvā mahāprājñau viharetāṃ yathāsukham ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—کچھ ہی عرصے میں وہی تُلادھار بھی سوَرگ (جنت) کو چلا گیا۔ اور وہ دونوں عظیم دانا، دیویہ لوک میں پہنچ کر، اپنی مرضی کے مطابق آسودگی سے بسر کرنے لگے۔

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

उवाचsaid

ततःthen/thereafter

चिरेणafter a long (time); by/with long time

कालेनin/after (some) time

तुलाधारःTuladhara (the one who holds a balance; proper name)

सःhe

एवindeed/just

चand

दिवम्to heaven

गत्वाhaving gone

महाप्राज्ञौthe two very wise (men)

विहरेताम्they might dwell/enjoy (sport)

यथाas/according to

सुखम्happiness; comfort

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

भ

भीष्म (Bhīṣma)

त

तुलाधार (Tulādhāra)

द

दिवं (Svarga/Heaven)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True wisdom and dharma are not confined to ascetics alone; a righteous householder like Tulādhāra can attain the highest merit. The verse underscores the ethical principle that sincere, steady virtue leads to auspicious destiny (heaven), regardless of social role.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma concludes an episode by stating that before long Tulādhāra also went to heaven, and that the two great wise ones (the pair central to the preceding account) reached the celestial realm and lived there happily.