Shloka 9

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

Utility Gifts

Devanagari script

इष्टं दत्त च मन्येथा आत्मानं दानकर्मणा | पूजयेथा यायजूकांस्तवाप्यंशो भवेद्‌ यथा

Transliteration

iṣṭaṃ datta ca manyethā ātmānaṃ dānakarmaṇā | pūjayethā yāyajūkāṃs tavāpy aṃśo bhaved yathā ||

Translation

Hãy tự xem rằng chính nhờ hành vi bố thí mà ngươi đã dâng lễ tế như ý và đã ban tặng lễ vật. Hãy luôn tôn kính các Bà-la-môn chủ tế; làm vậy, ngươi cũng sẽ được hưởng một phần công đức của tế lễ.

Word by Word

• इष्टम्: the desired/approved (merit, good)
• इष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्ट (यज्-धातु से क्त प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दत्तम्: the given (gift/charity)
• दत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दत्त (दा-धातु से क्त प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• मन्येथाः: you should consider/think
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (मन्यते)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Second, Singular, Atmanepada

• आत्मानम्: yourself
• आत्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दानकर्मणा: by the act of giving (charity)
• दानकर्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानकर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• पूजयेथाः: you should honor/worship
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (पूजयति)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Second, Singular, Atmanepada

• यायजूकान्: sacrificers; officiating priests
• यायजूकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यायजूक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तव: of you/your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

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

• अंशः: a share/portion
• अंशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: would be/may become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (भवति)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यथा: so that/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• yāyajūka (sacrificing Brahmins/priests)
• yajña (sacrifice, ritual)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Charity and honoring those who perform sacred rites are themselves dharmic acts that confer merit; by supporting and respecting yajña-performing Brahmins, one gains a share in the spiritual fruit of the sacrifice.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anushasana Parva), he advises the listener that giving gifts and revering officiating priests is a legitimate way to participate in yajña and partake of its punya, even if one is not personally conducting the ritual.