Shloka 2

Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala

On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving

Devanagari script

ततो ददर्श नृपति: प्रासादं सर्वकाउ्चनम्‌ । मणिस्तम्भसहस्राढ्यं गन्धर्वनगरोपमम्‌

Transliteration

tato dadarśa nṛpatiḥ prāsādaṃ sarva-kāñcanam | maṇi-stambha-sahasrāḍhyaṃ gandharva-nagaropamam ||

Translation

Bấy giờ nhà vua trông thấy một cung điện lộng lẫy, toàn bộ đều đúc bằng vàng. Có hàng ngàn cột khảm châu ngọc, rực rỡ đến nỗi tựa như thành của các Gandharva trên cõi trời.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• ददर्श: saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• नृपतिः: the king
• नृपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• प्रासादम्: palace, mansion
• प्रासादम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• सर्वकाञ्चनम्: entirely golden, all of gold
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वकाञ्चन
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• मणिस्तम्भसहस्राढ्यम्: rich with thousands of jewel-pillars
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मणिस्तम्भसहस्राढ्य
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• गन्धर्वनगरोपमम्: like the city of the Gandharvas
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गन्धर्वनगरोपम
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• nṛpati (the king)
• prāsāda (palace)
• maṇi-stambha (jewel pillars)
• gandharva-nagara (city of the Gandharvas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dazzling power of wealth and magnificence; in a dharmic context it implicitly reminds a ruler to maintain self-control and clear judgment when confronted with opulence, treating prosperity as a responsibility rather than an intoxication.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that the king arrives at a place and sees an extraordinary golden palace with thousands of gem-pillars, so splendid that it resembles the celestial city of the Gandharvas.