Shloka 73

Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa

Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results

Devanagari script

पद्मोत्पलविमिश्राणां हृदानामिव शीतल: । गन्धो5स्य स कदम्बानां तुल्यो वै तपतां वर

Transliteration

padmotpalavimiśrāṇāṃ hṛdānām iva śītalaḥ | gandho 'sya sa kadambānāṃ tulyo vai tapatāṃ vara ||

Translation

قال بهيشما: «يا خيرَ الزهّاد، إنَّ جسدَه باردٌ للمس كالبحيرات الموشّاة باللوتس واللوتس الأزرق؛ ومنه يفوح عِطرٌ حلوٌ، يُشبه عِطرَ أزهار الكَدَمْبا».

Word by Word

• पद्मोत्पलविमिश्राणाम्: of (those) mixed with lotuses and blue-lotuses
• पद्मोत्पलविमिश्राणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्म-उत्पल-विमिश्र
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• हृदानाम्: of lakes/ponds
• हृदानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: ह्रद
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• शीतलः: cool
• शीतलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीतल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गन्धः: fragrance
• गन्धः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्य: of him/of this
• अस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सः: that (one), he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कदम्बानाम्: of kadamba (flowers/trees)
• कदम्बानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: कदम्ब
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• तुल्यः: equal/similar
• तुल्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• तपताम्: of ascetics (those who practice austerity)
• तपताम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपत् (शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त, √तप्)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वर: O best/excellent one
• वर: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• padma (lotus)
• utpala (blue lotus)
• hṛda (lakes/pools)
• kadamba (flowers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses sensory imagery—coolness and fragrance—to signal inner purity and spiritual merit: a truly virtuous or spiritually accomplished person is portrayed as naturally soothing and auspicious in presence, benefiting others without force or display.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing an exalted person to an addressed ascetic (“best among ascetics”), highlighting extraordinary bodily signs—coolness like lotus-filled lakes and fragrance like kadamba flowers—typical of Mahabharata passages that mark sanctity, tapas, or divine favor.