Shloka 48

Pānīya-dāna and Anna-dāna: The Primacy of Life-Sustaining Gifts (पानीयदान-प्रशंसा / अन्नदान-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

वैदूर्यार्फप्रकाशानि रौप्पयरुक्ममयानि च । सर्वकामफलाश्लापि वृक्षा भवनसंस्थिता:

Transliteration

vaidūryārkaprakāśāni raupyarukmamayāni ca | sarvakāmaphalāślāpi vṛkṣā bhavanasamsthitāḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Có những cung thất lấp lánh như mặt trời, rực sáng bởi ngọc vaidūrya (mắt mèo); có những cung thất được tạo bằng bạc và vàng. Trong các cung thất ấy đứng nhiều cây quý, kết trái ban cho mọi hưởng thụ theo điều người ta mong muốn.”

Word by Word

• वैदूर्य-अर्क-प्रकाशानि: shining like the sun with vaidūrya (lapis/beryl) radiance
• वैदूर्य-अर्क-प्रकाशानि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैदूर्य + अर्क + प्रकाश
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• रौप्य-रुक्म-मयानि: made of silver and gold
• रौप्य-रुक्म-मयानि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौप्य + रुक्म + मय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

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

• सर्व-काम-फल-आश्लापिनः: granting/producing fruits of all desired wishes
• सर्व-काम-फल-आश्लापिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + काम + फल + आश्लापिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वृक्षाः: trees
• वृक्षाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भवन-संस्थिताः: situated in/within the mansions
• भवन-संस्थिताः: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भवन + संस्थित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• vaidūrya (cat’s-eye gem)
• sun (arka)
• silver (raupya)
• gold (rukma)
• mansions/dwellings (bhavana)
• wish-fulfilling fruit-bearing trees (sarvakāmaphalāślāpi vṛkṣāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse reinforces the Mahabharata’s moral causality: righteous conduct and accumulated merit are portrayed as yielding refined, abundant enjoyments—symbolized by radiant jewel-like dwellings and trees that grant desired fruits—while implicitly reminding that such rewards are outcomes of dharma-based living.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing a splendid otherworldly setting—mansions shining with vaidūrya, silver, and gold, adorned with trees that bear wish-fulfilling fruits—continuing his account of the rewards and conditions found in exalted realms.