Shloka 38

Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman

Manu’s Instruction

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणने भी राजाको अर्घ्य, पाद्य और आसन देकर कुशल-मंगल पूछनेके बाद इस प्रकार कहा-- ।।

Transliteration

brāhmaṇena bhī rājako 'rghya-pādya-āsanaṁ dattvā kuśala-maṅgalaṁ pṛṣṭvā caivam uktam— svāgataṁ te mahārāja brūhi yad yad ihecchasi | svaśaktyā kiṁ karomīha tad bhavān prabravītu mām ||

Translation

那婆罗门依礼以敬献之物、迎宾之水、洗足之水与座席礼敬国王，并问候安康之后，如是说道：“大王，欢迎驾临。此处但有所愿，尽可明言。我当竭尽所能为王效劳；请王示下。”

Word by Word

• {'brāhmaṇa': 'a brahmin

• a member of the priestly/intellectual class', 'rājan / rājā': 'king

• ruler', 'arghya': 'honor-offering (typically water and respectful items) presented to a guest', 'pādya': 'water for washing the feet

• a hospitality offering', 'āsana': 'seat

• a place to sit offered to a guest', 'kuśala-maṅgala': 'welfare and auspicious well-being

• polite inquiry after health and prosperity', 'svāgata': 'welcome

• greeting of reception', 'mahārāja': 'great king

• royal honorific', 'brūhi': 'tell

• speak (imperative)', 'ihecchasi': 'you desire here

• you wish in this place/occasion', 'sva-śaktyā': 'according to one’s own capacity

• to the best of one’s ability', 'kiṁ karomi': 'what shall I do? what can I do?', 'iha': 'here

• in this context', 'bhavān': 'your honor

• respectful ‘you’', 'prabravītu': 'may (you) tell/declare

• please state', 'mām': 'to me'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker attribution in the edition)
• a brahmin (brāhmaṇa)
• a king (rājā / mahārāja)
• arghya
• pādya
• āsana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma expressed as hospitality and humility: honoring a guest—especially a ruler—with proper rites (arghya, pādya, āsana), inquiring after welfare, and then offering service within one’s capacity. Ethical conduct is shown through respectful speech and readiness to help without overpromising.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brahmin receives a visiting king. After performing the standard welcome—offering ceremonial water, foot-washing water, and a seat—and asking about the king’s well-being, he invites the king to state his purpose and tells him to command whatever assistance is possible.