Shloka 141

Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa

Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results

Devanagari script

देवपक्षचरा: सौम्या: प्राजापत्या महर्षय: । आप्नवन्ति तपश्चैव ब्रह्मचर्य परं तथा

Transliteration

devapakṣacarāḥ saumyāḥ prājāpatyā maharṣayaḥ | āpnavanti tapaś caiva brahmacarya-paraṃ tathā ||

Translation

قال فاسيشثا: «ليكن هؤلاء الحكماء العظام، المولودون في سلالة البراجابتي، ذوي طبعٍ وديع؛ وليقفوا دائمًا في صفّ الآلهة؛ وليبلغوا القوة الناشئة من التقشّف (التبس) ومن أسمى التزامٍ بالبراهماتشاريا—سلوك العفّة المنضبط والعيش الطاهر».

Word by Word

• देवपक्षचराः: moving/acting on the side of the gods
• देवपक्षचराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देवपक्षचर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सौम्याः: gentle, benign
• सौम्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्राजापत्याः: belonging to Prajapati / of Prajapati’s lineage
• प्राजापत्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राजापत्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महर्षयः: great sages
• महर्षयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आप्नवन्ति: they obtain, attain
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (आप्नोति)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• एव: indeed, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: celibacy; disciplined student-life
• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परम्: supreme, excellent
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: thus, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Prajāpati (Prajāpatis)
• Maharṣis
• Devas (gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises and enjoins a dharmic ideal for sages: gentleness (saumya-bhāva), alignment with divine order (standing with the devas), and inner power gained through tapas (austerity) and brahmacarya (disciplined restraint). Ethical authority is shown as arising from self-control rather than force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha is speaking a benedictive or prescriptive statement about a group of great seers of Prajāpati lineage—describing how they should be in character and what spiritual strengths they should attain: devotion to the gods’ side, austerity, and exemplary brahmacarya.