Shloka 18
प्रजापतयः देवगणाश्च दिशि-दिशि स्थिताः ऋषयः
Prajāpatis, Deva-Groups, and the Ṛṣis Assigned to the Directions
कृत्स्नस्तु मन्त्रो विधिवत प्रयुक्तो यथा यथोक्तास्त्विह दक्षिणाश्र । अन्नप्रदानं मनस: समाधि: पज्चात्मकं कर्मफलं वदन्ति
kṛtsnas tu mantro vidhivat prayukto yathā yathoktas tv iha dakṣiṇāś ca | annapradānaṁ manasaḥ samādhiḥ pañcātmakam karma-phalaṁ vadanti ||
Bhīṣma sprach: „Nur wenn diese fünf Glieder vorhanden sind, erklären die Weisen, dass die Opferhandlung ihre volle Frucht trägt: wenn das ganze Mantra ordnungsgemäß rezitiert und rituell angewandt wird; wenn das Opfer nach vedischen Vorschriften vollzogen wird; wenn die angemessene Dakṣiṇā (Priesterhonorar) gegeben wird; wenn Speise gespendet wird; und wenn der Geist in fester Sammlung gehalten wird.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual action bears its full result only when outer correctness (complete mantra-recitation, Vedic procedure, proper dakṣiṇā, and food-giving) is joined with inner discipline (mental concentration). The verse integrates ethical giving and inward steadiness with formal ritual.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on right conduct. Here he explains the conditions under which a yajña becomes fully efficacious, listing five essential components recognized by the learned.