Shloka 9

अन्नदानफलं (Anna-dāna-phala) / The Fruit of Food-Giving

Devanagari script

अहोरात्रेण द्वादश्यां ज्येष्ठे मासि त्रिविक्रमम्‌ गवां मेधमवाप्रोति अप्सरोभिक्ष मोदते

Transliteration

ahorātreṇa dvādaśyāṁ jyeṣṭhe māsi trivikramaṁ gavāṁ medham avāpnoti apsarobhiś ca modate

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Vào ngày Dvādaśī của tháng Jyeṣṭha, ai nhịn ăn trọn một ngày một đêm và thờ phụng Trivikrama thì đạt công đức như lễ hiến tế bò; người ấy đến với Trivikrama (Viṣṇu) và hoan hỷ trong đoàn Apsarā.”

Word by Word

• अहोरात्रेण: by (means of) a day and night; within a day-night
• अहोरात्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहोरात्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• द्वादश्याम्: on the twelfth lunar day (Dvādaśī)
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• ज्येष्ठे: in (the month) Jyeṣṭha
• ज्येष्ठे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• त्रिविक्रमम्: Trivikrama (Vishnu, the one of three strides)
• त्रिविक्रमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिविक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गवाम्: of cows
• गवाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• मेधम्: sacrifice; offering/rite
• मेधम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अवाप्नोति: attains; obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अप्सरोभिः: with Apsarases (celestial nymphs)
• अप्सरोभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• मोदते: rejoices; delights
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुद्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Trivikrama (Viṣṇu)
• Apsarases
• Dvādaśī (tithi)
• Jyeṣṭha (month)
• Go-medha (cow-sacrifice/its merit)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A disciplined observance performed at an auspicious time (Dvādaśī in Jyeṣṭha, kept for a full day and night) is presented as yielding great spiritual merit—comparable to a major sacrifice—and culminating in reaching Viṣṇu (Trivikrama). The verse emphasizes the Mahābhārata’s recurring ethic that regulated, dharmic practice can substitute for costly ritual grandeur.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma, including vows and observances. Here he states the फलश्रुति (promised result) of a specific timing-based vrata: keeping it for a day and night on Dvādaśī in Jyeṣṭha grants the merit of a cow-sacrifice, access to Trivikrama (Viṣṇu), and heavenly enjoyment with Apsarases.