Shloka 8

Karma-Phala Rahasya and the Ethics of Dāna (कर्मफल-रहस्यं दानधर्मश्च)

Devanagari script

स्थण्डिलेषु शयानानां गृहाणि शयनानि च । चीरवल्कलसंवीते वासांस्याभरणानि च

Transliteration

sthaṇḍileṣu śayānānāṃ gṛhāṇi śayanāni ca | cīravalakalasaṃvīte vāsāṃsy ābharaṇāni ca ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: Những người tu khổ hạnh sống nơi rừng núi, nằm ngủ trên đất trống, sẽ được báo ở đời sau những ngôi nhà tốt và giường nệm êm. Và những ai mặc vỏ cây, áo rách thô sơ, sẽ đạt ở kiếp khác y phục đẹp và trang sức xứng đáng. Thế nên, sự khắc kỷ và giản dị tự nguyện, được ôm giữ đúng theo dharma, được dạy là sinh quả lành.

Word by Word

• स्थण्डिलेषु: on bare ground/earthen floors
• स्थण्डिलेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थण्डिल
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• शयानानाम्: of those lying/sleeping
• शयानानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शी (धातु) → शयान (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• गृहाणि: houses
• गृहाणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• शयनानि: beds/couches
• शयनानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शयन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

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

• चीरवल्कलसंवीते: in (those) covered with bark-cloth and bark (garments)
• चीरवल्कलसंवीते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चीर + वल्कल + संवीत
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Dual

• वासांसि: garments/clothes
• वासांसि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• आभरणानि: ornaments/jewelry
• आभरणानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभरण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• sthaṇḍila (bare ground)
• gṛha (house)
• śayana (bed)
• cīra (ragged cloth)
• valkala (bark garment)
• vāsas (garments)
• ābharaṇa (ornaments)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Voluntary austerity practiced in accordance with dharma—such as sleeping on the ground and wearing simple bark or rags—generates merit that ripens as comfort and prosperity in a later birth. The verse links self-restraint and simplicity with karmic reward.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is instructing on dharma and the fruits of ascetic disciplines associated with the forest-dweller (vānaprastha) way of life, explaining how specific practices lead to corresponding auspicious results in future existence.