Shloka 23

अध्याय २८१ — दानधर्मः, न्यायागतधनम्, ऋणत्रय-परिशोधनं च

Dāna ethics, lawful wealth, and settling obligations

Devanagari script

मुच्यतां त्रिदशेन्द्रोडयं मत्प्रियं कुरु भाविनि,'भाविनि! ये देवताओंके राजा इन्द्र हैं, इन्हें छोड़ दो। मेरा यह प्रिय कार्य करो। बोलो, मैं तुम्हारी कौन-सी अभिलाषा पूर्ण करूँ। तुम जिस किसी मनोरथको पाना चाहो उसे बताओ'

Transliteration

mucyatāṃ tridaśendro 'yaṃ matpriyaṃ kuru bhāvini | bhāvini ye devatānāṃ rājā indraḥ, etān muñca | mama idaṃ priyaṃ kāryaṃ kuru | brūhi, ahaṃ tava kāṃ kāmām abhilāṣāṃ pūrayāmi | tvaṃ yaṃ yaṃ manorathaṃ prāptum icchasi taṃ vada ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Hãy thả Indra, chúa tể các thần. Hỡi phu nhân cao quý, xin làm điều khiến ta vui lòng. Hãy phóng thích ngài và đáp lại lời thỉnh cầu này của ta. Hãy nói—ngươi muốn ta thỏa mãn ước nguyện nào? Điều gì ngươi mong đạt được, hãy bày tỏ.”

Word by Word

मुच्यताम्let (him) be released / let (him) go

त्रिदशेन्द्रःthe lord of the thirty (gods), i.e., Indra

उडयम्Uḍaya (proper name) / (as written) Uḍaya

मत्प्रियम्dear to me / my desired (thing)

कुरुdo (it)

भाविनिO lady / O auspicious one

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Indra (Tridaśendra, king of the gods)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds ethical restraint and compassionate action: even when one has power over another, dharma is served by releasing the worthy and by channeling one’s agency into a request that benefits order and righteousness, not domination.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma addresses a noble lady and urges her to release Indra, identified as the king of the gods. He frames this as a personal request and, in return, offers to fulfill any desire she may name—establishing a boon-like exchange grounded in persuasion rather than coercion.