Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 13

Śāṇḍilī–Sumanā-saṃvāda: Sat-strī-samudācāra and Pati-dharma

Conduct of the Virtuous Wife

Devanagari script

तृषितस्तृषिताय त्वं दत्त्वैतद्‌ दर्शन॑ं मम । अजैषीर्महतो लोकान्‌ महायज्ञैरिव प्रभो

Transliteration

tṛṣitas tṛṣitāya tvaṃ dattvaitad darśanaṃ mama | ajaiṣīr mahato lokān mahāyajñair iva prabho ||

Translation

毗耶娑说道：“当我为饥渴所逼、几近枯竭之时，你以饮食与清水使我得以满足；此事我亲眼所见。凭借那布施之功德，噢主宰，你已赢得广大天界之境——那等境界，通常唯有凭宏大的祭祀方能获得。”

Word by Word

• {'tṛṣitaḥ': 'thirsting

• parched (also implying hunger in context)', 'tṛṣitāya': 'to one who is thirsty (dative)', 'tvam': 'you', 'dattvā': 'having given', 'etad': 'this', 'darśanam': 'vision

• what is seen', 'mama': 'of me

• to me', 'ajaiṣīḥ': 'you conquered

• you won (2nd person singular perfect)', 'mahataḥ': 'great

• vast', 'lokān': 'worlds

• realms (often heavenly abodes)', 'mahāyajñaiḥ': 'by great sacrifices (instrumental plural)', 'iva': 'as if

• like', 'prabho': 'O lord

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Simple, timely charity—especially feeding and giving water to one in need—can yield spiritual merit comparable to (or surpassing) the results of grand sacrificial rites; compassion expressed through direct service is a powerful form of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa addresses a revered person as “prabhu,” recalling that when Vyāsa was afflicted by hunger and thirst, the person gave him food and water. Vyāsa then declares that he can directly perceive the karmic fruit of that act: the recipient has attained victory over great heavenly realms, as though by performing major sacrifices.