Shloka 196

Viṣṇu-sahasranāma—Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Recitation (विष्णोर्नामसहस्रम्)

Devanagari script

अन्निहोत्रं च यत्नेन सर्वश: प्रतिपालयेत । उपानह (जूता)

Transliteration

agnihotraṃ ca yatnena sarvaśaḥ pratipālayet | upānahau chatraṃ tathā kapilāṃ gāṃ ca yathocita-rītyā dānaṃ kuryāt | puṣkare tīrthe vedapāragaṃ vidvān brāhmaṇaṃ kapilā-godānena pūjayet, agnihotra-vidhiṃ ca sarvathā yatnapūrvakaṃ pālayet |

Translation

يعلّم يَما أنّ على المرء أن يحافظ على شعيرة الأَغْنِيهوترا (Agnihotra) بجدٍّ في كل وجه. ومع هذا الانضباط، ينبغي أن يقدّم هباتٍ لائقة—كالحذاء والمظلّة—وخاصةً بقرةً كَبِيلَا (kapilā) ذات لونٍ قمحيّ. وعند مَعْبَر بوشكَر المقدّس (Puṣkara tīrtha) يُكرَّم براهمنٌ عالمٌ متضلّعٌ في الفيدا بهبة بقرة كَبِيلَا، مع التزام قواعد الأَغْنِيهوترا بعنايةٍ واجتهادٍ في جميع الأمور.

Word by Word

• अग्निहोत्रम्: Agnihotra rite
• अग्निहोत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निहोत्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• यत्नेन: with effort
• यत्नेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सर्वशः: in every way; entirely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः

• प्रतिपालयेत: should observe/maintain
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-पाल्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

यम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Agnihotra
• Upānah (footwear)
• Chatra (umbrella)
• Kapilā cow
• Puṣkara tīrtha
• Veda
• Brāhmaṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is upheld through disciplined ritual observance (especially Agnihotra) and through appropriate charitable giving; honoring Veda-learned Brahmins at sacred places like Puṣkara is presented as a meritorious form of dāna.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yama is instructing the listener on proper conduct: maintain the Agnihotra carefully and perform prescribed gifts—footwear, umbrella, and notably a kapilā cow—especially as an offering of honor to a Veda-versed Brahmin at Puṣkara tīrtha.