Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 16
छत्रोपानहदानफलप्रशंसा — Praise of the Merit of Donating Umbrella and Footwear
Devanagari script
रेणुकोवाच शिरस्तावत् प्रदीप्तं मे पादौ चैव तपोधन । सूर्यतेजोनिरुद्धाहं वृक्षच्छायां समाश्रिता
Transliteration
reṇukovāca śirastāvat pradīptaṃ me pādau caiva tapodhana | sūryatejoniruddhāhaṃ vṛkṣacchāyāṃ samāśritā ||
Translation
勒努迦说：“噢，苦行深厚者，我的头如火灼烧，双足也被烫痛。被太阳猛烈的光辉所阻，我便投身树荫之下，在那里停立片刻以求歇息。”
Word by Word
रेणुकोवाचRenukā said
रेणुकोवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootरेणुका + उवाच(वच्)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
शिरःhead
शिरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशिरस्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
तावत्so much/so far; to that extent
तावत्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतावत्
प्रदीप्तम्heated, burning
प्रदीप्तम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रदीप्त (प्र + दीप्)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
मेmy
मे:
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Singular
पादौtwo feet
पादौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपाद
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
तपोधनO ascetic rich in austerity
तपोधन:
TypeNoun
Rootतपोधन
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
सूर्यतेजोनिरुद्धाchecked/held back by the sun’s heat
सूर्यतेजोनिरुद्धा:
TypeAdjective
Rootसूर्य-तेजस् + निरुद्ध (नि + रुध्)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Nominative, Singular
वृक्षच्छायाम्tree-shade
वृक्षच्छायाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवृक्ष-छाया
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
समाश्रिताhaving taken refuge/resorted to
समाश्रिता:
TypeVerb
Rootसमाश्रित (सम् + आ + श्रि)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
R
ReṇukāT
Tapodhana (an ascetic addressed)S
Sūrya (the sun)V
Vṛkṣa (tree/shade)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Even the virtuous and disciplined are subject to bodily limits; dharma includes practical wisdom—seeking shelter and rest when conditions are harsh—rather than forcing oneself into needless suffering.
Reṇukā explains to an ascetic that intense sunlight made her head and feet burn, so she paused and took shelter under a tree’s shade to recover before proceeding.