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Shloka 73

Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)

प्रतिग्रहं गृहीत्वा यः पुनर्ददति साधवे । फलानां फलमश्नाति तदा दत्त्वा च भारत,भारत! जो सोनेकी नाक और सुन्दर चाँदीके खुरोंसे विभूषित, सब प्रकारके रत्नोंसे अलंकृत, काली गौको तिलोंसे प्रच्छादित करके उसका दान करता है और जो उस दानको लेकर पुनः किसी दूसरे श्रेष्ठ पुरुषको अर्पित कर देता है, वह सर्वोत्तम फलका भागी होता है

pratigrahaṃ gṛhītvā yaḥ punar dadāti sādhave | phalānāṃ phalam aśnāti tadā dattvā ca bhārata ||

玉提湿陀罗说道:“凡人既受施与之物,又转而施与贤善可敬之人,便得‘果中之果’——至上的功德——噢,婆罗多。是以,纵已受领,若能以正心、施于正人而复施,亦能成就布施的最高果报。”

प्रतिग्रहम्a gift/acceptance (of a gift)
प्रतिग्रहम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootप्रतिग्रह
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
गृहीत्वाhaving taken/accepted
गृहीत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootग्रह्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite
यःwho
यः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पुनःagain
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
ददतिgives
ददति:
TypeVerb
Rootदा
FormPresent (Lat), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
साधवेto a worthy/good man
साधवे:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootसाधु
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
फलानाम्of fruits/results
फलानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootफल
FormNeuter, Genitive, Plural
फलम्the fruit/result
फलम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootफल
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अश्नातिeats/enjoys
अश्नाति:
TypeVerb
Rootअश्
FormPresent (Lat), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
तदाthen/thereupon
तदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
दत्त्वाhaving given
दत्त्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootदा
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
भारतO Bharata
भारत:
TypeNoun
Rootभारत
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
B
Bhārata (addressee)
S
sādhu (worthy recipient)
P
pratigraha (received gift)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that the highest merit of charity is not merely in receiving or possessing gifts, but in re-directing what one has received toward a truly worthy person. Re-giving (punar-dāna) transforms acceptance into a superior act of dharma, yielding the ‘fruit of fruits’—the best spiritual result.

Yudhiṣṭhira is articulating a principle of dāna-dharma: if someone accepts a donation and then offers it onward to a virtuous recipient, that person gains exceptional merit. The statement functions as ethical instruction within a broader discussion on gifts, merit, and proper conduct.