Shloka 19
Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity
Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda
Devanagari script
ईषादन्तान् महाकायान् काञ्चनस्रग्विभूषितान् । पद्मिनो वै सहस््राणि प्रादां दश च सप्त च
Transliteration
īṣādantān mahākāyān kāñcanasragvibhūṣitān | padmino vai sahasrāṇi prādāṁ daśa ca sapta ca ||
Translation
婆伽罗陀说道：“我施舍了成千上万头具莲华之相的巨象——体躯魁伟，象牙如犁辕，饰以金鬘——总计一万七千头。”
Word by Word
ईषादन्तान्having pole-like tusks
ईषादन्तान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootईषादन्त
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
महाकायान्huge-bodied
महाकायान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाकाय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
काञ्चनस्रग्विभूषितान्adorned with golden garlands
काञ्चनस्रग्विभूषितान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootकाञ्चनस्रग्विभूषित
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
पद्मिनःelephants (of the ‘padmin’ class)
पद्मिनः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपद्मिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
वैindeed
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
सहस्राणिthousands
सहस्राणि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसहस्र
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
प्रादाम्I gave
प्रादाम्:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + दा
FormAorist (simple past), 1st, Singular
दशten
दश:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदश
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
सप्तseven
सप्त:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसप्त
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
Speaker
भगीरथ उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhagīrathaE
elephants (padminaḥ)G
golden garlands (kāñcana-srag)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dāna as a central royal and ethical duty: a ruler’s prosperity gains meaning when converted into righteous giving, especially of valuable, auspicious gifts, thereby supporting dharma and accruing merit.
Bhagīratha is recounting his acts of generosity, specifying that he donated a vast number of richly adorned, auspicious elephants—seventeen thousand—illustrating the scale and intent of his charitable conduct.