स्वलङ्कृतेभ्योगुणशीलवद्भ्य:सीदत्कुटुम्बेभ्यऋतव्रतेभ्य: ।
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वासांसिरत्नानिपरिच्छदान्रथा-
निष्टं च यज्ञैश्चरितं च पूर्तम् ॥ १५ ॥
sv-alaṅkṛtebhyo guṇa-śīlavadbhyaḥ
[sv-alankritebhyo guna-sheelavadbhyah]
sīdat-kuṭumbebhya ṛta-vratebhyaḥ
[seedat-kutumbebhya rita-vratebhyah]
tapaḥ-śruta-brahma-vadānya-sadbhyaḥ
[tapah-shruta-brahma-vadaanya-sadbhyah]
prādāṁ yuvabhyo dvija-puṅgavebhyaḥ
[praadaam yuvabhyo dvija-pungavebhyah]
go-bhū-hiraṇyāyatanāśva-hastinaḥ
[go-bhoo-hiranyaayatanaashva-hastinah]
kanyāḥ sa-dāsīs tila-rūpya-śayyāḥ
[kanyaah sa-daasees tila-roopya-shayyaah]
vāsāṁsi ratnāni paricchadān rathān
[vaasaamsi ratnaani parichchadaan rathaan]
iṣṭaṁ ca yajñaiś caritaṁ ca pūrtam
[ishtam cha yajnaish charitam cha poortam]
Word-for-word
su—wellalaṅkṛtebhyaḥ—who were ornamentedguṇa—good qualitiesśīla—and charactervadbhyaḥ—who possessedsīdat—distressedkuṭumbebhyaḥ—whose familiesṛta—to truthvratebhyaḥ—dedicatedtapaḥ—for austerityśruta—well knownbrahma—in the Vedasvadānya—vastly learnedsadbhyaḥ—saintlyprādām—I gaveyuvabhyaḥ—who were youngdvija—to brāhmaṇaspum - gavebhyaḥ—most exceptionalgo—cowsbhū—landhiraṇya—goldāyatana—housesaśva—horseshastinaḥ—and elephantskanyāḥ—marriageable daughterssa—withdāsīḥ—maidservantstila—sesamerūpya—silverśayyāḥ—and bedsvāsāṁsi—clothingratnāni—jewelsparicchadān—furniturerathān—chariotsiṣṭam—worship executedca—andyajñaiḥ—by Vedic fire sacrificescaritam—doneca—andpūrtam—pious works .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sv-alaṅkṛtebhyo guṇa-śīlavadbhyaḥ
su
well
alaṅkṛtebhyaḥ
who were ornamented
guṇa
good qualities
śīla
and character
vadbhyaḥ
who possessed
sīdat-kuṭumbebhya ṛta-vratebhyaḥ
sīdat
distressed
kuṭumbebhyaḥ
whose families
ṛta
to truth
vratebhyaḥ
dedicated
tapaḥ-śruta-brahma-vadānya-sadbhyaḥ
tapaḥ
for austerity
śruta
well known
brahma
in the Vedas
vadānya
vastly learned
sadbhyaḥ
saintly
prādāṁ yuvabhyo dvija-puṅgavebhyaḥ
prādām
I gave
yuvabhyaḥ
who were young
dvija
to brāhmaṇas
pum - gavebhyaḥ
most exceptional
go-bhū-hiraṇyāyatanāśva-hastinaḥ
go
cows
bhū
land
hiraṇya
gold
āyatana
houses
aśva
horses
hastinaḥ
and elephants
kanyāḥ sa-dāsīs tila-rūpya-śayyāḥ
kanyāḥ
marriageable daughters
sa
with
dāsīḥ
maidservants
tila
sesame
rūpya
silver
śayyāḥ
and beds
vāsāṁsi ratnāni paricchadān rathān
vāsāṁsi
clothing
ratnāni
jewels
paricchadān
furniture
rathān
chariots
iṣṭaṁ ca yajñaiś caritaṁ ca pūrtam
iṣṭam
worship executed
ca
and
yajñaiḥ
by Vedic fire sacrifices
caritam
done
ca
and
pūrtam
pious works .
Important Words
sīdat - kuṭumbebhyaḥ—whose families were in distress
Sīdat (suffering) + kuṭumba (family). Pātra-pariikṣā: dāna's value depends on giving to one who genuinely needs. Nṛga's brāhmaṇas were young, dependent-laden, and ascetic — every box ticked.
ṛta - vratebhyaḥ—dedicated to truth
Ṛta (cosmic truth, order) + vrata (vow). The recipients were not merely educated; they were bound by truth-vows. The poet is establishing that Nṛga's failure cannot be blamed on bad pātras.
dvija - pum - gavebhyaḥ—most exceptional among brāhmaṇas
Dvija (twice-born) + puṅgava (bull, in the sense of 'chief'). The bull-image for an exceptional male is Vedic; Kṛṣṇa Himself is called nara-puṅgava. The recipients were the best of brāhmaṇas — making the upcoming failure structural, not careless.
iṣṭam ca yajñaiḥ caritam ca pūrtam—performed sacrifices and pious welfare acts
Iṣṭa (Vedic sacrifice, śrauta) + pūrta (public works — wells, temples, almshouses, the dharma-śāstric category beside iṣṭa). Together iṣṭā-pūrta names the full repertoire of Vedic piety. Nṛga had it all.
I first honored the brāhmaṇas who were recipients of my charity by decorating them with fine ornaments. Those most exalted brāhmaṇas, whose families were in need, were young and possessed of excellent character and qualities. They were dedicated to truth, famous for their austerity, vastly learned in the Vedic scriptures and saintly in their behavior. I gave them cows, land, gold and houses, along with horses, elephants and marriageable girls with maidservants, as well as sesame, silver, fine beds, clothing, jewels, furniture and chariots. In addition, I performed Vedic sacrifices and executed various pious welfare activities.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
I first honored the brāhmaṇas who were recipients of my charity by decorating them with fine ornaments. Those most exalted brāhmaṇas, whose families were in need, were young and possessed of excellent character and qualities. They were dedicated to truth, famous for their austerity, vastly learned in the Vedic scriptures and saintly in their behavior. I gave them cows, land, gold and houses, along with horses, elephants and marriageable girls with maidservants, as well as sesame, silver, fine beds, clothing, jewels, furniture and chariots. In addition, I performed Vedic sacrifices and executed various pious welfare activities.
Commentary
This verse gives details of the acts of charity. "I gave to brahmanas who were well known for austerity (tapa sruta) and well versed in the vedas (brahmani vadanya) because of study."
This verse describes other things he gave in charity. He gave (pradanam) to the brahmanas, who are mentioned in the previous verse, and also made (caritam) tanks and wells.
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
Now he describes the good qualities of the recipients of charity. I first decorated them with gold earrings and other ornaments. They had good physical features (guṇa) and good internal dispositions (śīla) with honesty and gentleness. They had performed vratas carefully for their upliftment.
dharmaś ca satyaṁ ca damas tapaś ca; amātsaryaṁ hrīs titikṣānasūyā
yajñaś ca dānaṁ ca dhṛtiḥ śrutaṁ ca; mahāvratā dvādaśa brāhmaṇasya
The twelve vratas of the brāhmaṇa are dharma, truthfulness, control of the senses, austerity, lack of envy, shyness, tolerance, lack of indignation, sacrifice, charity, fortitude and learning. Mahābhārata
These brāhmaṇas performed vratas without duplicity (ṛta-vratebhyaḥ). Tapa means dedicated to daily rituals like sandhyā-vandana. Satyam means inclined to follow proper behavior (sadbhyaḥ). They were youthful, in order to perform dharma properly. They were the best among all the brāhmaṇas. I gave them the cows with devotion (pra—adām), washing their feet etc.
Not only did I give cows, but many other objects. Go means bulls. Āyatana means houses. Paricchada means umbrellas, cāmaras and other utensils. I gave all of this. (Verb is understood.)
The word ca mentioned twice in the last line indicates the predominance of the charity over the sacrifices, and that these acts were done in the proper way.
Nṛga honored worthy brāhmaṇas with cows, land, gold, houses, horses, elephants, marriageable girls, silver, beds, clothes, jewels and chariots, and performed sacrifices and welfare works. Genuine charity touches every dimension of a worthy recipient's life, not just one.
Reflection Questions
Whose worthiness in my circle am I overlooking while preferring the famous and visible?
What range of needs in a single person am I willing to take seriously?
Analogy
An ornamented brāhmaṇa receives ornamented cows from an ornamented king — the surface of dharma is intact in every detail. And it still failed. Gauḍīyas read this verse as a warning against ritual perfectionism: the form may be flawless and the heart still unsafe.