Shloka 17

गोप्रदान-माहात्म्ये गोलोक-प्रश्नः

Gopradāna-Māhātmya: Inquiry into Goloka

Devanagari script

तिलाक्ष सम्प्रदातव्या यथाशक्ति द्विजर्षभ । नित्यदानात्‌ सर्वकामांस्तिला निर्वर्तयन्त्युत

Transliteration

tilākṣāḥ sampradātavyā yathāśakti dvijarṣabha | nityadānāt sarvakāmāṁs tilā nirvartayanti uta ||

Translation

阎摩说道：“噢，二生者中之最（dvijarṣabha），当随己力而必定施舍芝麻。相传若能日日行施，芝麻便能令施主诸愿诸求皆得成就。”

Word by Word

• तिलाः: sesame seeds (as the subject)
• तिलाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सम्प्रदातव्याः: are to be given / should be given
• सम्प्रदातव्याः: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-दा (ददाति)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Gerundive (तव्यत्), passive obligation

• यथा-शक्ति: according to (one's) ability
• यथा-शक्ति: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + शक्ति

• द्विजर्षभ: O bull among the twice-born (best of Brahmins)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नित्य-दानात्: from/through regular giving (daily charity)
• नित्य-दानात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य + दान
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• सर्व-कामान्: all desires
• सर्व-कामान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + काम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तिलाः: sesame seeds
• तिलाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• निर्वर्तयन्ति: bring about / accomplish / fulfill
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-वृत् (वर्तते) / निर्वर्तयति (causative)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• उत: indeed / also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

Speaker

यम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• dvijarṣabha (a Brahmin addressee)
• tila (sesame seeds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Regular charity, even if modest and proportionate to one’s means, is praised; specifically, giving sesame seeds is presented as a meritorious act that supports the fulfillment of the donor’s legitimate aims.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused discourse, Yama addresses a Brahmin and prescribes a practical dharma: the daily donation of sesame seeds, emphasizing consistency and capacity-based giving.