Shloka 216

Adhyāya 166: Kṛtaghna-doṣa (कृतघ्नदोषः) — the fault of ingratitude and the limits of expiation

Devanagari script

परिवेष्टाग्निहोत्रस्य भवेन्नासंस्कृतस्तथा । न कन्या, न युवती, न मन्त्र न जाननेवाला, न मूर्ख और न संस्कारहीन पुरुष ही अग्निमें हवन करनेका अधिकारी है

Transliteration

pariveṣṭāgnihotrasya bhavennāsaṁskṛtastathā |

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: Bei der Ausführung des Agnihotra und der dazugehörigen Riten ist auch der Ungeweihte oder Ungebildete nicht geeignet. Wer die erforderliche Befähigung nicht besitzt—etwa ein Mädchen oder eine unverheiratete junge Frau, jemand, der die Mantras nicht kennt, ein Tor, oder ein Mann ohne die vorgeschriebenen Saṃskāras—soll keine Opfergaben in das heilige Feuer darbringen. Diese Lehre betont, dass vedisches Ritual eine ethische Disziplin ist, die Schulung, Reinheit und Kompetenz verlangt, nicht bloßen Impuls oder gesellschaftliche Schaustellung.

Word by Word

परिवेष्टof one who is wrapped/covered (i.e., not properly prepared/qualified)

अग्निहोत्रस्यof the Agnihotra (fire-offering rite)

भवेत्would be / should be

नnot

असंस्कृतःunrefined / uninitiated / without proper rites

तथाthus / likewise

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Agnihotra

sacred fire (Agni)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ritual action (like Agnihotra) is governed by dharma: it requires proper preparation—initiation/saṁskāra, knowledge of mantras, and maturity/competence. Without these, performing offerings is considered improper and spiritually/ritually invalid.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira about right conduct. Here he specifies qualifications for Vedic fire-rituals, warning that those lacking training or refinement should not perform havan/Agnihotra.