Shloka 39
Śrāddha-Kalpa: Pitṛ-Pūjā and Tithi-Phala (श्राद्धकल्पः पितृपूजा च तिथिफलम्)
तमेवार्थ महातेजा: पप्रच्छ भृूगुनन्दन: । जाता मतिर्मे विप्रेन्द्रा: कथथं पूयेयमित्युत
tam evārthaṁ mahātejāḥ papraccha bhṛgunandanaḥ | jātā matir me viprendrāḥ kathaṁ pūyeyam ity uta ||
Bhishma sprach: Da fragte der strahlende Nachkomme Bhṛgus nach eben dieser Sache: „O Vornehmster der Brahmanen, dieser Entschluss ist in mir erwacht—wie kann ich gereinigt werden?“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic learning through humble inquiry: when moral clarity (mati) arises, one should seek guidance from the wise on the means of inner purification (pūyeyam), rather than relying on mere self-assertion.
Bhīṣma narrates that an illustrious Bhārgava (descendant of Bhṛgu) asks a foremost brāhmaṇa about the same topic under discussion, stating that he has formed the intention to purify himself and requesting the method to do so.