Shloka 23

Adhyāya 64: Dāna-prakāra—Suvarṇa, Pānīya-dāna, Ghṛta-dāna, and Upakaraṇa-dāna

Utility Gifts

Devanagari script

अपीडिता: सुसंवृद्धा ये ददत्यनुकूलत: । तादृशेनाप्युपायेन यष्टव्यं नोद्यमाहतै:

Transliteration

apīḍitāḥ susaṃvṛddhā ye dadaty anukūlataḥ | tādṛśenāpy upāyena yaṣṭavyaṃ nodyamāhataiḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: Những người sung túc, có thể tự nguyện dâng của cải mà không làm ai khổ sở—hãy cử hành tế lễ bằng của cải nhận từ những người như thế, hoặc bằng những phương cách hiền hòa tương tự. Không nên tiến hành tế lễ bằng của cải đem về từ những nỗ lực khắc nghiệt làm tổn hại dân chúng.

Word by Word

• अपीडिताः: unafflicted; not causing pain
• अपीडिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपीडित (पीड् धातु + अ- उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुसंवृद्धाः: well-grown; prosperous/very wealthy
• सुसंवृद्धाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुसंवृद्ध (वृध् धातु + सम् उपसर्ग, क्त; सु- उपसर्ग)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ददति: give
• ददति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (ददाति)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural

• अनुकूलतः: favorably; in a pleasing manner
• अनुकूलतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनुकूल (प्रातिपदिक) + तस्

• तादृशेन: by such (a kind of means/wealth)
• तादृशेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अपि: also; even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• उपायेन: by a means/method
• उपायेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• यष्टव्यम्: should be sacrificed/performed (a yajña should be done)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् धातु (यष्टव्य—तव्यत्)
• Form: Gerundive (Obligative), Singular (impersonal)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• उद्यमाहतैः: by (means) struck/tainted by harsh exertion; obtained through oppressive effort
• उद्यमाहतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यमाहत (उद्यम + आहत)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• yajña (sacrifice)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Religious acts like yajña must be funded by ethically obtained wealth—preferably voluntary gifts from the prosperous or income gained through gentle, non-harmful means—not by oppressing people or extracting resources through harsh measures.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma, he advises the listener (Yudhiṣṭhira in this parva’s broader dialogue) about proper sources of wealth for ritual and public religious works, warning against financing sacrifice through people-harming exertion.