Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 20

Āśrama-dharma and Brahmacarya: Śuka’s Inquiry on Karma and Tyāga (शुक-प्रश्नः कर्मत्यागविवेकश्च)

Devanagari script

प्रतर्दन: काशिपति: प्रदाय नयने स्वके । ब्राह्मणायातुलां कीर्तिमिह चामुत्र चाश्लुते

Transliteration

pratardanaḥ kāśipatiḥ pradāya nayane svake | brāhmaṇāyātulāṃ kīrtim iha cāmutra cāśnute ||

Translation

毗耶娑说：迦尸之王普罗塔尔达那，将自己的双眼施与一位婆罗门，于此世得无比声名；于彼世亦享上妙安乐。此颂弘扬以身施舍的伦理，视舍身之施为至上之“檀那”，既成世间荣誉，亦招来灵性果报。

Word by Word

• प्रतर्दनः: Pratardana
• प्रतर्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतर्दन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• काशिपतिः: lord of Kāśī (king of Kāśī)
• काशिपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशिपति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रदाय: having given
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• नयने: two eyes
• नयने: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नयन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Dual

• स्वके: his own
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Dual

• ब्राह्मणाय: to a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• अतुलाम्: incomparable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कीर्तिम्: fame, renown
• कीर्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

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

• अमुत्र: there (in the other world)
• अमुत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अमुत्र

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

• अश्नुते: attains, enjoys
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश्
• Form: Lat (Present), Atmanepada, Third, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Pratardana
• Kāśī (Kāśipati / Kāśirāja)
• Brāhmaṇa
• Eyes (nayana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Supreme generosity (dāna) and self-sacrifice (tyāga) performed for a worthy recipient is portrayed as dharmic conduct that yields a double fruit: worldly honor (kīrti) and otherworldly well-being (sukha).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa cites an exemplum: Pratardana, the king of Kāśī, gives his own two eyes to a brāhmaṇa. This extreme gift becomes the reason he is celebrated on earth and is said to enjoy happiness after death.