Shloka 12

Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala

On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving

Devanagari script

मयूरान्‌ कुक्कुटांश्चापि दात्यूहानू जीवजीवकान्‌ । चकोरान्‌ वानरान्‌ हंसान्‌ सारसां श्रक्रसाह्नयान्‌

Transliteration

mayūrān kukkuṭāṁś cāpi dātyūhānū jīvajīvakān | cakorān vānarān haṁsān sārasāṁ śakrasāhnayān

Translation

毗湿摩曰：“（施与之物）孔雀与雄鸡亦可；达底优诃鸟、吉婆吉婆迦鸟与查科罗鸟；又有猿猴、天鹅与鹤——并及名为‘释迦罗萨诃那耶’之鸟。”

Word by Word

• मयूरान्: peacocks
• मयूरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मयूर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कुक्कुटान्: cocks/roosters
• कुक्कुटान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुक्कुट
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• दात्यूहान्: dātyūha birds (a kind of waterfowl)
• दात्यूहान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दात्यूह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• जीवजीवकान्: jīvajīvaka birds (a kind of bird)
• जीवजीवकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवजीवक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• चकोरान्: chakora partridges
• चकोरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चकोर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वानरान्: monkeys
• वानरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• हंसान्: swans/geese
• हंसान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सारसान्: cranes (sārasa)
• सारसान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारस
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शक्रसाह्नयान्: śakra-sāhnaya birds (Indra-related; a named bird/creature)
• शक्रसाह्नयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्रसाह्नय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• peacocks (mayūra)
• cocks/roosters (kukkuṭa)
• dātyūha (bird)
• jīvajīvaka (bird)
• cakora (bird)
• monkeys (vānara)
• haṁsa (swan/goose)
• sārasa (crane)
• śakrasāhnaya (bird)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse supports the dharmic ideal of dāna by listing living creatures as legitimate and valued gifts, implying that generosity includes offering useful, prized, or auspicious possessions for the welfare of others.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is instructing on dharma and enumerating items suitable for donation; here he specifically lists various birds (and monkeys) as examples of gifts.