Shloka 19
Devanagari script
दुर्लभ सलिलं तात विशेषेण परत्र वै पानीयस्य प्रदानेन प्रीतिर्भवति शाश्वती
Transliteration
durlabhaṃ salilaṃ tāta viśeṣeṇa paratra vai | pānīyasya pradānena prītir bhavati śāśvatī ||
Translation
毗湿摩说：孩子啊，水是稀世之宝——尤其在彼世更为难得。于彼处，曾施与饮水者，因供水之功德而得长久满足；此功德成为恒常安适之源。
Word by Word
दुर्लभम्rare, hard to obtain
दुर्लभम्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदुर्लभ
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
सलिलम्water
सलिलम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसलिल
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
तातdear one / son (vocative)
तात:
TypeNoun
Rootतात
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
विशेषेणespecially, in particular
विशेषेण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootविशेष
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
परत्रthere, in the other world
परत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपरत्र
वैindeed, surely
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
पानीयस्यof drinking-water
पानीयस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootपानीय
FormNeuter, Genitive, Singular
प्रदानेनby (the act of) giving
प्रदानेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रदान
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
प्रीतिःsatisfaction, delight
प्रीतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्रीति
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
भवतिarises / becomes
भवति:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
शाश्वतीeternal, lasting
शाश्वती:
TypeAdjective
Rootशाश्वत
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
तातdear one (vocative)
तात:
TypeNoun
Rootतात
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaT
tāta (address to Yudhiṣṭhira)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Giving drinking-water (pānīya-dāna) is a high form of charity because water sustains life; its merit is said to yield enduring satisfaction, especially in the afterlife where water is portrayed as scarce.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and the fruits of various gifts. Here he emphasizes the special spiritual value of donating water, linking it to lasting contentment in the next world.