Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

युधिछिर उवाच यत्‌ फलं तिलदाने च भूमिदाने च कीर्तितम्‌ | गोदाने चान्नदाने च भूयस्तद्‌ ब्रूहि कौरव

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: yat phalaṃ tiladāne ca bhūmidāne ca kīrtitam | godāne cānna-dāne ca bhūyas tad brūhi Kaurava ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira thưa: “Hỡi người Kaurava, xin hãy nói lại, rõ ràng hơn, phần quả báo đã được tuyên dương cho việc bố thí vừng (mè), bố thí đất đai, bố thí bò, và bố thí lương thực.”

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• यत्: what/which
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• फलम्: fruit, result
• फलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• तिलदाने: in the gift of sesame
• तिलदाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिलदान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• भूमिदाने: in the gift of land
• भूमिदाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमिदान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• कीर्तितम्: has been declared/mentioned
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्तित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular, Past passive participle (kta)

• गोदाने: in the gift of cows
• गोदाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोदान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• अन्नदाने: in the gift of food
• अन्नदाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्नदान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• भूयः: again, further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्

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

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

• कौरव: O Kaurava (descendant of Kuru)
• कौरव: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kaurava (a Kuru-descendant addressee)
• tiladāna (sesame donation)
• bhūmidāna (land donation)
• godāna (cow donation)
• annadāna (food donation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames dāna (charitable giving) as a central dharmic practice and seeks clarity on the specific spiritual/ethical merit (phala) attributed to different forms of gifts—sesame, land, cows, and food—implying that intention and appropriate giving are key concerns of righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Yudhiṣṭhira questions the teacher addressed as ‘Kaurava,’ requesting a renewed and more detailed explanation of the rewards traditionally proclaimed for several important donations.