Shloka 91

Adhyaya 50 — Mind-Born Progeny, Svayambhuva Manu’s Lineage, and Brahmā’s Ordinance to Duḥsaha (Alakṣmī’s Retinue)

Sanskrit

अदत्त्वा भुञ्जते ये वै बन्धोः पिण्डं तथोदकम् ।

सपिण्डान् सोदकांश्चैव तत्काले तान् नरान् भज ॥

Transliteration

adattvā bhuñjate ye vai bandhoḥ piṇḍaṃ tathodakam /

sapiṇḍān sodakāṃś caiva tatkāle tān narān bhaja

Translation

الذين يأكلون من غير أن يقدّموا قُربانَ البِنْدَة (piṇḍa) والماءَ لقرابتهم المتوفّى—مع ذويهم من أقارب السَّبِندَة (sapiṇḍa) والسُّودَكَة (sodaka)—ففي ذلك الحين اذهبْ وألحقِ الأذى بهؤلاء الرجال.

Word by Word

• अदत्त्वा: without giving
• अदत्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/त्वा), with privative prefix अ-: ‘not having given’

• भुञ्जते: they eat/enjoy
• भुञ्जते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada? actually Ātmanepada form, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; relative pronoun

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक)

• बन्धोः: of a kinsman
• बन्धोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• पिण्डम्: funeral rice-ball (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb/particle

• उदकम्: water (libation)
• उदकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• स-पिण्डान्: those connected by piṇḍa (sapinda kin)
• स-पिण्डान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural; अव्ययीभावः: ‘with piṇḍa-offerings/connected by piṇḍa’

• स-उदकान्: those connected by water-offering (sodaka kin)
• स-उदकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural; अव्ययीभावः: ‘with water-libation/connected by water’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• तत्-काले: at that time
• तत्-काले: Kāla (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्-काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th), Singular; तत्पुरुषः: तस्मिन् काले

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• नरान्: men/people
• नरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• भज: seek/attach yourself to
• भज: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

Speakers

• Brahmā instructing a Yakṣa (reported by Mārkaṇḍeya)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "dharma", "secondaryRasa": "bhaya", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Brahmā
• Pitṛs (implicit)

Key Themes

• Pitṛ Pūjā
• Dharma
• Śrāddha
• Karmic consequence

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Feeding oneself while neglecting obligations to the departed is portrayed as ethical failure. The text frames ancestral rites as a debt (ṛṇa) sustaining family continuity and moral order.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary dharma material; it supports vaṃśānucarita indirectly by safeguarding lineage through pitṛ-rites, but it is not itself a lakṣaṇa category.

What is the esoteric significance?

Piṇḍa and udaka are symbols of nourishment and continuity across realms. Neglect breaks the subtle ‘flow’ between generations; the Yakṣa’s affliction represents the rebound of severed reciprocity.