Shloka 24

अध्याय २८१ — दानधर्मः, न्यायागतधनम्, ऋणत्रय-परिशोधनं च

Dāna ethics, lawful wealth, and settling obligations

Devanagari script

ब्रृहि कि ते करोम्यद्य कामं॑ कि त्वमिहेच्छसि

Transliteration

brūhi kiṃ te karomy adya kāmaṃ kiṃ tvam ihecchasi | bhāvini ye devatānāṃ rājendraḥ sa indraḥ enaṃ tyaja | mama etat priyaṃ kāryaṃ kuru | brūhi, ahaṃ tava kāṃ kāṅkṣāṃ pūrayāmi | yaṃ yaṃ manorathaṃ prāptum icchasi taṃ vada ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“告诉我——今日我能为你做什么？你在此所欲何事？且把因陀罗、诸神之王放在一旁。做一件我所喜之事。说吧：你哪一个愿望要我成全？你渴望达到的目标，尽可宣明。”

Word by Word

• ब्रूहि: tell (speak)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम, एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ते: for you / to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• करोमि: I do / I will do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम, एकवचन

• अद्य: today / now
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• कामम्: desire / wish (as object: what you desire)
• कामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• इच्छसि: you desire / want
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), मध्यम, एकवचन

• भाविनि: O auspicious one / O lady
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Indra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical persuasion and the management of desire: one should clearly state one’s aim, weigh competing loyalties (even to exalted figures like Indra), and act in accordance with what is presented as a ‘dear duty’—implying that choices should be made consciously rather than by prestige or fear.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses an auspicious lady, urging her to set aside Indra and instead do what Bhīṣma considers his cherished request. He offers to fulfill any wish she names, inviting her to declare the specific goal she seeks.