Shloka 77

Devanagari script

संहितापुस्तकान्‌ राजन्‌ प्रयतः सुसमाहित:ः । भक्ष्यैमल्यैश्न पेयैश्व कामैश्न विविधै: शुभ:

Transliteration

saṁhitāpustakān rājan prayataḥ susamāhitaḥ | bhakṣyaiḥ mālyaiś ca peyaiś ca kāmaiś ca vividhaiḥ śubhaiḥ ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说道：“噢大王，当以自制与摄心之定，依法恭敬诸《三诃摩多》汇编之书。以精美饮食、花鬘、饮品及种种吉祥可喜之赠礼供献，当以专注清净之心而礼拜之。”

Word by Word

• संहिता: the compilation/collection (saṃhitā)
• संहिता: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहिता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पुस्तकान्: books
• पुस्तकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुस्तक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रयतः: disciplined, purified
• प्रयतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुसमाहितः: well-collected (in mind), fully concentrated
• सुसमाहितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-समाहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भक्ष्यैः: with eatables/delicacies
• भक्ष्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ष्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• माल्यैः: with garlands
• माल्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: माल्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

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

• पेयैः: with drinks
• पेयैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पेय
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

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

• कामैः: with desirable objects/offerings
• कामैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• विविधैः: various, diverse
• विविधैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शुभः: auspicious, pure
• शुभः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• King (rājan)
• saṁhitā-pustaka (compiled scripture-books)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches reverence for sacred learning: texts are to be approached with bodily and mental purity, steady attention, and generous offerings—treating knowledge as a living object of dharma rather than mere material property.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana instructs the king on the proper, ritualized honoring of the Mahābhārata’s compiled books (saṁhitās): with disciplined focus, one offers food, garlands, drinks, and other auspicious gifts as part of a formal worship of the manuscripts/recensions.