Shloka 29

उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel

Devanagari script

अथ दर्भाक्ष वन्यांश्षु ओषधीर्भरतर्षभ । पवित्रमासनं चैव बूसीं च समुपानयत्‌

Transliteration

atha darbākṣa-vanyāṃś ca oṣadhīr bharatarṣabha | pavitram āsanaṃ caiva bhasmīṃ ca samupānayat ||

Translation

Rồi, ô bậc hùng dũng của Bharata, người ấy mang đến cỏ darbha, các dược thảo mọc trong rừng, một chỗ ngồi đã được tẩy tịnh, và cả tro thiêng (bhasma)—gom đủ những vật thanh khiết cần cho nghi lễ.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• दर्भान्: darbha grasses
• दर्भान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अक्षान्: aksha seeds/nuts (dice-nuts)
• अक्षान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वन्यान्: wild (forest-grown)
• वन्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• ओषधीः: herbs/medicinal plants
• ओषधीः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओषधी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पवित्रम्: purifying, sacred
• पवित्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आसनम्: seat
• आसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

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

• भूसीम्: straw/chaff (a bedding/spread)
• भूसीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूसी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

• समुपानयत्: brought/caused to be brought near
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उप+नी
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bharatarṣabha (addressed person, typically Yudhiṣṭhira)
• darbha grass
• forest herbs (oṣadhis)
• pavitra āsana (consecrated seat)
• bhasma (sacred ash)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharmic practice is upheld through purity and proper observance: sacred acts require both inner intention and outward preparation using purifying materials (darbha, herbs, a consecrated seat, ash).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes (or reports) the gathering of ritual requisites—darbha grass, forest herbs, a purified seat, and sacred ash—indicating that a rite or disciplined observance is about to be performed with due propriety.