Shloka 51

Devanagari script

कटके कुण्डले चैव ब्रह्मुसूत्रं तथा परम्‌

Transliteration

kaṭake kuṇḍale caiva brahmasūtraṃ tathā param | kaḍe kuṇḍala yajñopavīta vicitra-vastraṃ viśeṣataḥ gandham arpitvā vācakasya devatā-samāṃ pūjāṃ kuryāt | evaṃ-kārī śrotā bhagavato viṣṇoḥ loke gacchati ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: “Dâng vòng tay và hoa tai, lại dâng cả sợi chỉ thiêng (yajñopavīta), cùng đồ trang sức, y phục đẹp rực rỡ, và nhất là hương liệu thơm, người ta nên tôn kính người tụng kể như thờ một vị thần. Người nghe làm được như vậy sẽ đạt đến cõi của đức Viṣṇu.”

Word by Word

• कटके: in/with a bracelet (bangle)
• कटके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• कुण्डले: in/with an earring
• कुण्डले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्डल
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• ब्रह्मसूत्रम्: the sacred thread (brahma-sūtra)
• ब्रह्मसूत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मसूत्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: likewise/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• परम्: excellent/supreme (as an additional item)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Viṣṇu
• vācaka (reciter)
• śrotā (listener)
• kaṭaka (armlet)
• kuṇḍala (earring)
• brahmasūtra / yajñopavīta (sacred thread)
• vicitra vastra (fine garments)
• gandha (fragrance)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that sacred listening is not passive: the listener should actively honor the reciter with respectful offerings and worship-like reverence. Such humility, gratitude, and support for dharma-teaching are presented as spiritually fruitful, leading to attainment of Viṣṇu’s abode.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Svargārohaṇa Parva’s concluding instructions and reflections, Vaiśampāyana describes the proper way to receive the Mahābhārata’s recitation: by offering ornaments, sacred thread, garments, and fragrance, and by venerating the reciter like a deity. The promised result is heavenly/spiritual attainment in Viṣṇu’s realm.