Shloka 16

Kīṭopākhyāna: Prajā-pālana as Kṣatra-vrata and the Attainment of Brāhmaṇya

Devanagari script

प्राणदानात्‌ परं दानं न भूतं न भविष्यति । न हात्मन: प्रियतरं किंचिदस्तीह निश्चितम्‌

Transliteration

prāṇadānāt paraṃ dānaṃ na bhūtaṃ na bhaviṣyati | na hi ātmanaḥ priyataram kiñcid astīha niścitam |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“世间从未有、将来也不会有任何布施胜过赐予生命之施。因为在此世，确然无疑：对人而言，没有什么比自身（自身之命）更为珍贵。”

Word by Word

• प्राणदानात्: than the gift of life
• प्राणदानात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणदान
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• परम्: higher/superior
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• भूतम्: has been (in the past)
• भूतम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: nor
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• भविष्यति: will be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• प्रियतरम्: dearer (more beloved)
• प्रियतरम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रियतर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• किंचित्: anything (at all)
• किंचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किंचित्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अस्ति: is/exists
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present (Laṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इह: here, in this world
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• निश्चितम्: certain, settled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The highest form of charity is prāṇadāna—protecting or giving life—because one’s own life is the dearest possession; therefore relinquishing it (or risking it) for another is the supreme ethical gift.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira about the hierarchy of gifts and virtues, emphasizing that saving or giving life surpasses all other forms of giving.