Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 20

Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: Abhaya, Anugraha, and the Ethics of Honoring the Worthy (दानश्रेष्ठता: अभय-अनुग्रह-विप्रपूजा)

Devanagari script

फिर मैं अन्तर्धान हुआ और पुनः तुम्हारे घरमें आकर योगका आश्रय ले इक्कीस दिनोंतक सोया ।।

Transliteration

kṣudhito mām asūyethāṁ śramād veti narādhipa | evaṁ buddhiṁ samāsthāya karśitau vāṁ kṣudhā mayā ||

Translation

赤耶婆那说道：“随后我隐遁，又回到你家，依瑜伽之力沉睡二十一日。大王啊，我原以为你们二人饥饿之时，会因饥或因劳而毁谤我。怀着此意，我让你们断食，使你们受苦。”

Word by Word

• क्षुधितः: hungry
• क्षुधितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधित (क्षुध् + क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• असूयेथाम्: you two might censure / be jealous of
• Type: Verb
• Root: असूय् (असूयते)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Second, Dual, Atmanepada

• श्रमात्: from fatigue; due to exertion
• श्रमात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रम
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• एवम्: thus; in this way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• बुद्धिम्: intention; thought
• बुद्धिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• समास्थाय: having adopted; having resolved
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-स्था (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada usage

• कर्शितौ: emaciated; afflicted
• कर्शितौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्शित (कृश्/कर्श् + क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• वाम्: of you two
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Dual

• क्षुधा: by hunger
• क्षुधा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुधा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

च्यवन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Chyavana (Cyavana)
• Narādhipa (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights an ethical test: whether hardship (hunger and fatigue) leads one to blame and disparage a revered guest/ascetic. It underscores restraint in speech and steadiness of mind under suffering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Chyavana explains to the king that he deliberately imposed hunger and distress on the king and another person as a trial, expecting they might criticize him when pressed by hunger or exhaustion.