Shloka 26

Brahmā’s Puṣkara Sacrifice: Ṛtvij System, Sāvitrī’s Reconciliation, Tīrtha-Catalogue, Śrāddha & Initiation Rites, and Vrata Fruits

Devanagari script

सहस्रभोज्यं दातव्यं स्नात्वा चावभृथे क्रतौ । यजमानेन सर्वस्वं देयं स्वायंभुवोब्रवीत्

Transliteration

sahasrabhojyaṃ dātavyaṃ snātvā cāvabhṛthe kratau | yajamānena sarvasvaṃ deyaṃ svāyaṃbhuvobravīt

Translation

وبعد الاغتسال في طقس الأڤَبْهْرِثَا (avabhṛtha) الختامي للكراتو، ينبغي إقامة وليمة لألف. وعلى اليَجَمَانَا أن يهب كلَّ ماله؛ هكذا صرّح سْفايَمْبْهُوفَا (Svāyaṃbhuva).

Word by Word

• सहस्रभोज्यम्: food (enough) for a thousand
• सहस्रभोज्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र + भोज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सहस्रं भोज्यं यस्य/सहस्रसंख्यं भोज्यम् (food for a thousand / thousand meals)

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त; क्त्वान्त (gerund/absolutive): 'having bathed'

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

• अवभृथे: at the avabhṛtha (final bath)
• अवभृथे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवभृथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अवभृथस्नान-समये (at the avabhṛtha bath)

• क्रतौ: in the sacrifice
• क्रतौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यजमानेन: by the sacrificer (patron)
• यजमानेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वस्वम्: all possessions
• सर्वस्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वं स्वं धनम् (all one's possessions)

• देयम्: is to be given
• देयम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत्/य (कृत्-प्रत्यय; देय)
• Form: कृदन्त; देय (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्वायंभुवः: Svāyaṃbhuva (Manu)
• स्वायंभुवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वायंभुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (Svāyaṃbhuva/Manu)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Svāyaṃbhuva (traditionally Svāyaṃbhuva Manu; sometimes used as an epithet of Brahmā—context needed for certainty)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: river

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: च + अवभृथे → चावभृथे; स्वायंभुवः + अब्रवीत् → स्वायंभुवोब्रवीत् (ओ-आ सन्धि)

Characters & Entities

• Svāyaṃbhuva
• Yajamāna

FAQs

What does this verse prescribe after the avabhṛtha bath of a sacrifice?

It prescribes large-scale generosity: feeding a thousand guests (sahasrabhojya) and extensive donation by the yajamāna, described as giving away “all one’s wealth.”

Is the verse promoting charity (dāna) as an essential part of ritual?

Yes. It frames dāna as the ethical completion of the ritual—sacrifice culminates not only in rites like avabhṛtha but also in public benefit through feeding and giving.

What ethical lesson is emphasized here?

The verse highlights non-attachment and social responsibility: religious merit is linked to sharing resources widely, especially after performing a major yajña.