Shloka 40

जनक-राज्ञः मौण्ड्य-परिव्रज्या-विवादः

Janaka’s Renunciation Questioned; Discourse on Dāna and Detachment

Devanagari script

देवतातिथि भूतानां निर्वपन्तो यथाविधि । स्थानमिष्टमवाप्स्यामो ब्रह्मण्या: सत्यवादिन:

Transliteration

devatātithi-bhūtānāṃ nirvapanto yathāvidhi | sthānam iṣṭam avāpsyāmo brahmaṇyāḥ satyavādinaḥ ||

Translation

阿周那说道：“若我们依仪轨将应得之分供奉诸天、款待宾客，并施与一切众生；又恒常敬奉婆罗门，坚守真实之言，则必定获得所愿之境。”

Word by Word

• देवता: to the deity/deities (their share)
• देवता: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अतिथि: to the guest (their share)
• अतिथि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भूतानाम्: of beings / for living creatures
• भूतानाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• निर्वपन्तः: offering/apportioning (as we do)
• निर्वपन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्वप् (धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यथा: as / according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• विधि: the prescribed rule/rite
• विधि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स्थानम्: a place/abode
• स्थानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इष्टम्: desired
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अवाप्स्यामः: we shall obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवाप् (धातु)
• Form: Future (Simple Future/लृट्), First, Plural, Parasmaipada

• ब्रह्मण्याः: devoted to Brahmins / Brahmin-favouring
• ब्रह्मण्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सत्यवादिनः: truth-speaking
• सत्यवादिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यवादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• devatā (gods)
• atithi (guest)
• bhūta (living beings)
• brāhmaṇa (Brahmins)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that dharma is upheld through proper, rule-based giving and honoring of obligations—offerings to the divine, hospitality to guests, and care for living beings—combined with truthfulness and reverence for Brahmins; such conduct leads to the attainment of one’s desired spiritual or moral goal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna speaks about the path of righteous conduct: by distributing the due shares to gods, guests, and creatures according to injunction, and by remaining truthful and respectful toward Brahmins, ‘we’ (the speakers’ side) can expect to reach an auspicious or desired destination.