Shloka 4

निर्वेदोपदेशः (Nirveda-Upadeśa) — Maṅki’s Dispassion and the Limits of Wealth-Seeking

Devanagari script

भगीरथरयथाक्रान्तदेशान्‌ गड़ानिषेवितान्‌ । ये चरन्ति महामीनास्तांश्व॒ तस्यान्वकल्पयत्‌

Transliteration

Bhagīratha-ratha-ākrānta-deśān gaṅgā-niṣevitān | ye caranti mahā-mīnāḥ tān ca tasyānvakalpayat ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：在昔日婆伽罗陀王战车所经之地——恒河（Gaṅgā）流淌、巨鱼出没之处——国王从那些大鱼中取来一些，备作乔达摩的食粮，以尽合乎法（dharma）的供养与待客之责。

Word by Word

• भगीरथरथ: by Bhagiratha’s chariot
• भगीरथरथ: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगीरथ-रथ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• यथा: as/just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• आक्रान्त: traversed/overrun
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-क्रम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• देशान्: regions/lands
• देशान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• गङ्गा: by the Ganga
• गङ्गा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• निषेवितान्: frequented/inhabited
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-सेव्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ये: which/who
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चरन्ति: move about/roam
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• महामीनाः: great fishes
• महामीनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामीन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तस्य: of him/of that
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अन्वकल्पयत्: arranged/provided
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-कल्पय्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhagīratha
• Gaṅgā
• Gautama
• mahā-mīnāḥ (great fish)
• ratha (chariot)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse illustrates rājadharma as practical responsibility: a ruler must ensure proper support and hospitality for worthy persons (here, Gautama), arranging resources ethically and efficiently from what is available in the realm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes how, in regions associated with Bhagīratha and the Gaṅgā, large fish are found; the king procures some of these and makes arrangements so that Gautama has food—an example of dutiful royal provisioning.