Shloka 18
चिरकारि-उपाख्यानम् / The Exemplum of Cirakārī: Deliberation Before Irreversible Action
Devanagari script
दातव्यमित्ययं धर्म उक्तो भूतहिते रतै: । त॑ मन्यन्ते धनयुता: कृपणै: सम्प्रवर्तितम्
Transliteration
dātavyam ity ayaṁ dharma ukto bhūtahite rataiḥ | taṁ manyante dhanayutāḥ kṛpaṇaiḥ sampravartitam ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：那些致力于一切众生福祉的大德宣示：“当施与。”并以此立为达摩。然而许多富有之人却以为，这教诲不过是贫者所鼓吹的规条。
Word by Word
दातव्यम्should be given
दातव्यम्:
TypeVerb
Rootदा (दाने) + तव्यत्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular, तव्यत् (gerundive/obligative)
इतिthus (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
अयम्this
अयम्:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
धर्मःdharma; duty; righteousness
धर्मः:
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उक्तःsaid; declared
उक्तः:
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (वचने) + क्त
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)
भूतहितेin the welfare of beings
भूतहिते:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootभूतहित
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
रतैःby those devoted/engaged
रतैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootरत (रम् + क्त)
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural, क्त (used adjectivally)
तम्that (dharma)
तम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
मन्यन्तेthink; consider
मन्यन्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootमन् (मन्यते)
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Ātmanepada
धनयुताःendowed with wealth; wealthy
धनयुताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootधनयुत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
कृपणैःby the miserly/poor wretches
कृपणैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootकृपण
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
सम्प्रवर्तितम्set in motion; propagated; started
सम्प्रवर्तितम्:
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + प्र + वृत् (वर्तने) + णिच्? + क्त
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Giving (dāna) is affirmed as dharma by those committed to the welfare of all beings; the verse critiques the cynical view that charity is merely a doctrine invented or pushed by the poor.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Bhishma addresses attitudes toward dāna, contrasting the authority of compassionate sages with the suspicion of some wealthy people.