Shloka 33

परिव्राजक-आचारः (Conduct of the Wandering Renunciant) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 269

Devanagari script

स्यूमराश्मिर्वाच ये भुज्जते ये ददते यजन्तेडधीयते च ये । मात्राभिरुपलब्धाभिरयें वा त्यागं समाश्रिता:

Transliteration

syūmarāśmir uvāca—ye bhuñjate ye dadate yajante ’dhīyate ca ye | mātrābhir upalabdhābhir ye vā tyāgaṃ samāśritāḥ ||

Translation

须优摩罗湿弥说道：“婆罗门啊，在那些以自己所得的有限资财而行者之中——(1) 但求享乐者，(2) 行布施者，(3) 以财供祭（yajña）者，(4) 勤修圣典学习者，或 (5) 归依舍离者——谁在死后最为卓绝地赢得天界之胜？我以诚心求知而问；请如实、详尽地告知我。”

Word by Word

• स्यूमराश्मिः: Syūmarāshmi (speaker)
• स्यूमराश्मिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यूमराश्मि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भुञ्जते: enjoy/consume
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ददते: give (donate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• यजन्ते: sacrifice/perform worship
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• अधीयते: studies (Veda)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-इ
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

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

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मात्राभिः: by measures/means (limited means)
• मात्राभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्रा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• उपलब्धाभिः: obtained/acquired
• उपलब्धाभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-लभ्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural, क्त (past passive participle)

• अये: these (persons)
• अये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अयम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• त्यागम्: renunciation
• त्यागम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्याग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समाश्रिताः: having resorted to
• समाश्रिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, क्त (past active/participial usage)

Speaker

कपिल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Syūmarāśmi
• Brahmin (addressed interlocutor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical inquiry about the best use of limited, acquired resources—enjoyment, charity, sacrifice, sacred study, or renunciation—and asks which orientation most powerfully leads to posthumous heavenly attainment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Syūmarāśmi questions a Brahmin interlocutor (in the Kapila-related discourse) about comparative spiritual outcomes of different life-choices regarding wealth and practice, seeking a definitive, truthful ranking with respect to attaining heaven after death.