Shloka 11

उपवासफलात्मकविधिः — Upavāsa as Yajña-Equivalent Merit

Angiras Teaching

Devanagari script

अंगियरा उवाच ब्रह्मक्षत्रे त्रिरात्रं तु विहितं कुरुनन्दन । द्विस्त्रिरात्रमथैकाहं निर्दिष्ट पुरुषर्षभ

Transliteration

aṅgirā uvāca | brahmakṣatre trirātraṃ tu vihitaṃ kurunandana | dvistrirātram athaikāhaṃ nirdiṣṭa puruṣarṣabha ||

Translation

অঙ্গিরস বললেন—হে কুরুনন্দন, ব্রাহ্মণ ও ক্ষত্রিয়ের জন্য তিন রাত্রির উপবাস বিধেয়। আর হে পুরুষশ্রেষ্ঠ, কোথাও কোথাও দুইবার তিন রাত্রি এবং পরে একদিন—মোট সাতদিন—এমন বিধানও নির্দেশিত।

Word by Word

• अङ्गिरा: Aṅgiras (sage)
• अङ्गिरा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गिरस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• ब्रह्मक्षत्रे: in/for the brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya (classes)
• ब्रह्मक्षत्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मक्षत्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Dual

• त्रिरात्रम्: a three-night (fast/observance)
• त्रिरात्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिरात्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तु: indeed/but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• विहितम्: prescribed/ordained
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-धा (विहित)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• कुरुनन्दन: O joy of the Kurus
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• द्विः: twice
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विः

• त्रिरात्रम्: a three-night (observance)
• त्रिरात्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिरात्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: then/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• एकाहम्: one day (observance)
• एकाहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकाह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• निर्दिष्टम्: indicated/specified
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-दिś् (निर्दिष्ट)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पुरुषर्षभ: O bull among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

अंगियरा उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Aṅgiras
• Kurunandana (a Kuru prince, addressee)
• Brahmin (brāhmaṇa)
• Kshatriya (kṣatriya)
• Trirātra vow/fast (trirātra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that dharma includes regulated self-discipline: specific fasts (trirātra and, in some cases, a seven-day sequence) are prescribed for Brahmins and Kshatriyas, emphasizing restraint and adherence to class-based religious duties.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sage Aṅgiras is instructing a Kuru prince about prescribed observances. He states the standard three-night fast for Brahmins and Kshatriyas and notes an extended option—two three-night fasts plus one additional day—totaling seven days.