Shloka 53

दानफलप्रकरणम् — उपानहदानं, तिलदानं, भूमिदानं, गोदानं, अन्नदानं च

Gifts and Their Stated Results: Footwear, Sesame, Land, Cows, and Food

Devanagari script

मघवोवाच भगवन्‌ केन दानेन स्वर्गत: सुखमेधते । यदक्षयं महार्घ च तद्‌ ब्रूहि वदतां वर

Transliteration

maghavovāca bhagavan kena dānena svargataḥ sukham edhate | yad akṣayaṁ mahārgha ca tad brūhi vadatāṁ vara ||

Translation

Maghavān (Indra) nói: “Bạch đấng tôn quý, bậc nhất trong hàng người giỏi lời! Nhờ loại bố thí nào mà niềm vui của người cho tăng trưởng, thậm chí vượt cả lạc thú cõi trời? Xin hãy nói cho ta biết—về sự bố thí có quả báo bất hoại và cao quý nhất.”

Word by Word

• मघवा: Maghavan (Indra)
• मघवा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मघवन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• भगवन्: O Blessed one / O Lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• केन: by which?
• केन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• दानेन: by (what) gift/charity
• दानेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• स्वर्गतः: than/from heaven
• स्वर्गतः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• सुखम्: happiness, pleasure
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एधते: grows, increases, prospers
• Type: Verb
• Root: एध्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• यत्: which (gift/that which)
• यत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अक्षयम्: imperishable, inexhaustible
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• महार्घम्: highly valuable, of great worth
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महार्घ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• तत्: that (gift)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular

• वदताम्: of those who speak
• Type: Kridanta
• Root: वद्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• वर: O best (one)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Maghavan (Indra)
• Bhagavan (addressed revered figure)
• Svarga (heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: among acts of giving, which dāna yields the highest, imperishable (akṣaya) fruit—so valuable that it surpasses even heavenly enjoyment. It sets up the principle that not all charity is equal; intention, worthiness, and the nature of the gift determine enduring merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra (Maghavan) poses a question to a revered authority addressed as “Bhagavan,” requesting instruction on the supreme form of charity—one whose reward is inexhaustible and of the greatest significance.