Shloka 21

अर्जुनदुःखहेतुप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the cause of Arjuna’s recurring hardship

Book 14, Chapter 89

Devanagari script

प्रतिगृह तु तद्‌ रत्नं कृष्णद्वैपायनो मुनि:

Transliteration

pratigṛhṇātu tad ratnaṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyano muniḥ

Translation

毗舍波耶那说道：“愿圣者黑岛仙人（Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana）收受那珍贵的赠礼。”此句强调献与受皆须合乎义理：尊崇灵性权威，使财富归于与达摩相契之手。

Word by Word

• प्रतिगृह्य: having accepted/received
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतिग्रह् (धातु: ग्रह्) / प्रतिगृह्य (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा (ल्यप्), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाल (absolutive)

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रत्नम्: gem/treasure
• रत्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृष्णद्वैपायनः: Krishna-Dvaipayana (Vyasa)
• कृष्णद्वैपायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णद्वैपायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मुनिः: sage
• मुनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)
• ratna (jewel/precious gift)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dāna-dharma: valuable gifts should be offered and received in a manner that honors spiritual merit and social righteousness, placing wealth with those who embody restraint, wisdom, and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a precious item (ratna) is directed to be accepted by the sage Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa), indicating a formal act of gifting and the recognition of Vyāsa’s authority and worthiness.