Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.53.13
హిరణ్యరూప్యవాసాంసి తిలాంశ్చ గుడమిశ్రితాన్ ।
ప్రాదాద్ ధేనూశ్చ విప్రేభ్యో రాజా విధివిదాం వర: ॥ ౧౩ ॥
hiraṇya-rūpya vāsāṁsi
[hiranya-roopya vaasaamsi]
tilāṁś ca guḍa-miśritān
[tilaamsh cha guda-mishritaan]
prādād dhenūś ca viprebhyo
[praadaad dhenoosh cha viprebhyo]
rājā vidhi-vidāṁ varaḥ
[raajaa vidhi-vidaam varah]
Word-for-word
hiraṇya
—
gold
rūpya
—
silver
vāsāṁsi
—
and clothing
tilān
—
sesame seeds
ca
—
and
guḍa
—
with raw sugar
miśritān
—
mixed
prādāt
—
gave
dhenūḥ
—
cows
ca
—
also
viprebhyaḥ
—
to the brāhmaṇas
rājā
—
the king Bhīṣmaka
vidhi
—
regulative principles
vidām
—
of those who know
varaḥ
—
the best .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
hiraṇya-rūpya vāsāṁsi
hiraṇya
gold
rūpya
silver
vāsāṁsi
and clothing
tilāṁś ca guḍa-miśritān
tilān
sesame seeds
ca
and
guḍa
with raw sugar
miśritān
mixed
prādād dhenūś ca viprebhyo
prādāt
gave
dhenūḥ
cows
ca
also
viprebhyaḥ
to the brāhmaṇas
rājā vidhi-vidāṁ varaḥ
rājā
the king Bhīṣmaka
vidhi
regulative principles
vidām
of those who know
varaḥ
the best .
Important Words
-
viprebhyaḥ
—
to the brāhmaṇas
Dative plural of vipra. Brāhmaṇa-dāna at weddings is a śāstric staple, but in this chapter the same brāhmaṇas (esp. the messenger of verse 1 and the priests of verse 12) become Bhagavān's intermediaries. Generosity to vipras is repaid by Kṛṣṇa Himself.
-
dhenūḥ
—
cows
Accusative plural of dhenu. Go-dāna is the supreme charity in Vedic culture; here it foreshadows the gopāla irony — the cowherd is about to take the bride from the cow-giver.
-
vidhi - vidām varaḥ
—
the best of those who know the regulative principles
Compound: vidhi (rules) + vit (knower) + varaḥ (best). Bhīṣmaka knows the rules perfectly and still misapplies them. Gauḍīyas read this as the limit of vaidhī without bhakti: rule-knowledge does not guarantee right discernment.
Outstanding in his knowledge of regulative principles, the King rewarded the brāhmaṇas with gold, silver, clothing, cows and sesame seeds mixed with raw sugar.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Outstanding in his knowledge of regulative principles, the King rewarded the brāhmaṇas with gold, silver, clothing, cows and sesame seeds mixed with raw sugar.
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
The king gave with great respect to the brāhmaṇas. He gave sesame and raw sugar, not too respectable in themselves. Since he was following the rules as a king (vidhi-vidām varaḥ) he accompanied the sesame with gold and jewels, or donated mountains of sesame.
Śrīdhara Svāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
He gave with faith, with suitable dakṣiṇa, while washing their feet (prādāt), since he was the best of followers of rules (vidhi-vidām varaḥ).
Related values & verses
Related values
Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Yajña (Sacrifice / Spirit of Offering)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender to God)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)
Related verses
Concepts
Jiva
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Analogy
A man stockpiles gold for a journey he will never take. Bhīṣmaka's gifts are real and pious — and they will outlast the wedding he plans. Dāna performed at the threshold of Bhagavān's līlā is never wasted, even when the giver misjudges the occasion.
My note
Source: vedabase.io