Shloka 22

Nṛga-upākhyāna: Brāhmaṇa-sva and the Consequence of Misappropriated Gift-Cattle (कृकलास-रूपे नृगोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

देवा ऊचु भगवन्‌ कृतकार्या: सम यक्ष्महे स्वाप्तदक्षिणै:

Transliteration

devā ūcuḥ bhagavan kṛtakāryāḥ sma yakṣmahe svāptadakṣiṇaiḥ

Translation

Chư thiên thưa rằng: “Ôi Đấng Tôn Quý phúc lành! Mục đích của chúng tôi đã viên thành. Nay chúng tôi kính lễ Ngài, sau khi đã dâng đủ dakṣiṇā—lễ phí tế tự—đúng như pháp định.”

Word by Word

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ऊचुः: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Plural

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

• कृतकार्याः: having accomplished (our) purpose; successful
• कृतकार्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतकार्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्म: indeed; (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म

• यक्ष्महे: we worship; we perform sacrifice
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज्
• Form: Present, 1st, Plural, Atmanepada

• स्वाप्तदक्षिणैः: with duly-given fees (dakṣiṇās); with properly bestowed gifts
• स्वाप्तदक्षिणैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाप्तदक्षिण
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• devāḥ (the gods)
• bhagavān (the Lord addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic completion: when a sacred undertaking is fulfilled, one should conclude with reverent acknowledgment and proper giving (dakṣiṇā). Success is framed not merely as achievement, but as completion according to right procedure and gratitude toward the divine.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Bhīṣma’s discourse, the gods speak to the Lord they address, declaring that their intended objective has been accomplished and that they now offer worship, emphasizing that the appropriate sacrificial gifts/fees have been duly given.