Shloka 7

ब्राह्मण–क्षत्रिय-श्रेष्ठता-विवादः

Arjuna–Vāyu Dialogue on Brāhmaṇa and Kṣatriya Precedence

Devanagari script

दिग्गजा ऊचु: कार्तिके मासि चाश्लेषा बहुलस्याष्टमी शिवा | तेन नक्षत्रयोगेन यो ददाति गुडौदनम्‌

Transliteration

diggajā ūcuḥ: kārtike māsi cāśleṣā bahulasya aṣṭamī śivā | tena nakṣatrayogena yo dadāti guḍaudanam |

Translation

Các Diggaja nói: “Vào tháng Kārttika, khi ngày mồng tám (aṣṭamī) của nửa tháng tối, cát tường, lại trùng với chòm sao Āśleṣā—ai, dưới sự hội hợp ấy của tithi và nakṣatra, mà bố thí cơm ngọt (cơm nấu với đường thốt nốt/jaggery)…”

Word by Word

• दिग्गजाः: the elephants of the quarters (directional elephants)
• दिग्गजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिग्गज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ऊचुः: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural

• कार्तिके: in (the month of) Kārtika
• कार्तिके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

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

• आश्लेषाः: the (nakṣatra) Āśleṣā (stars)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्लेषा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• बहुलस्य: of the dark fortnight (bahula-pakṣa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुल
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अष्टमी: the eighth lunar day
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• शिवा: auspicious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• नक्षत्रयोगेन: by the conjunction/combination of the nakṣatra
• नक्षत्रयोगेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्रयोग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ददाति: gives
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Present (Laṭ), Third, Singular

• गुडौदनम्: rice cooked with jaggery (sweet rice)
• गुडौदनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुडौदन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

रेणुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Diggajas
• Kārttika (month)
• Āśleṣā (nakṣatra)
• Aṣṭamī (tithi)
• Guḍaudana (sweet rice offering)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dāna (charitable giving) performed at an auspicious calendrical conjunction (tithi and nakṣatra), implying that mindful timing and devotional intent can enhance the religious and ethical value of a gift—here, the simple offering of sweet rice.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group identified as the Diggajas speak about a specific auspicious time in Kārttika—Aṣṭamī of the dark fortnight when Āśleṣā is present—and begin describing the merit associated with giving guḍaudana (sweet rice) under that nakṣatra-yoga.