Umā–Maheśvara-saṃvāda: Varṇa-bhraṃśa, Ācāra (Vṛtta), and Karmic Ascent/Decline
विश्वामित्र उवाच श्रूयतां परम गुह्ां रहस्यं धर्मसंहितम् । परमान्नेन यो दद्यात् पितृणामौपहारिकम्
viśvāmitra uvāca śrūyatāṃ parama-guhyaṃ rahasyaṃ dharma-saṃhitam | paramānnena yo dadyāt pitṝṇām aupahārikam ||
Viśvāmitra sprach: „Hört diese höchst geheime Lehre, ein Mysterium, das in der Dharma gegründet ist. Wer den Pitṛs (Ahnengeistern) als Gabe die erlesenste Speise darbringt—von einer solchen Darbringung heißt es, sie trage außerordentliches Verdienst.“
विश्वामित्र उवाच
The verse frames giving excellent food as an offering for the Pitṛs as an esoteric dharma-teaching, emphasizing that properly directed charity connected to ancestral duty yields exceptional religious merit.
Viśvāmitra addresses his audience and introduces a ‘secret’ dharma instruction, beginning a description of the special merit obtained by making a high-quality food-offering as a gift for the ancestors.