Shloka 3

Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala

On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving

Devanagari script

तत्र दिव्यानभिप्रायान्‌ ददर्श कुशिकस्तदा । पर्वतान्‌ रूप्यसानूंश्व नलिनीश्व सपड़कजा:

Transliteration

tatra divyān abhiprāyān dadarśa kuśikas tadā | parvatān rūpyasānūṁś ca nalinīś ca sapaṅkajāḥ ||

Translation

Tại đó, Kuśika bấy giờ trông thấy những cảnh tượng kỳ diệu gợi bóng trời—những dãy núi có sườn bạc lấp lánh, và những hồ đầy sen, nơi hoa súng và hoa sen cùng mọc nở—dấu hiệu của một cõi cao quý, cát tường, khiến tâm trí hướng về những mục đích cao thượng.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• दिव्यान्: divine
• दिव्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अभिप्रायान्: intentions / designs
• अभिप्रायान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिप्राय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ददर्श: saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular

• कुशिकः: Kushika (a sage/king)
• कुशिकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• पर्वतान्: mountains
• पर्वतान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• रूप्यसानून्: silver-peaked (mountains) / mountains with silver summits
• रूप्यसानून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप्य-सानु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• नलिनीषु: in lotus-ponds
• नलिनीषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नलिनी
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

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

• सपद्मकजाः: having lotuses and water-born (plants/flowers)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-पद्मक-ज
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kuśika
• mountains (parvata)
• silvery slopes (rūpya-sānū)
• lotus-lakes (nalinī)
• lotuses (paṅkaja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how a purified seeker’s journey is marked by auspicious, elevating perceptions—natural beauty becomes a signpost that turns the mind toward higher purpose (abhiprāya) and supports dharmic, ascetic aspiration.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes Kuśika arriving at a remarkable region and witnessing extraordinary scenery: mountains with silvery ridges and lotus-filled lakes, indicating a sacred or spiritually charged landscape.