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Shloka 15

Gārhasthya-dharma: Vāsudeva–Pṛthivī-saṃvāda

Householder Duties and Daily Offerings

एवं कृत्वा बलिं सम्यग दद्याद्‌ भिक्षां द्विजाय वै | अलाभे ब्राह्मणस्याग्नावग्रमुद्धृत्य निक्षिपेत्‌

evaṁ kṛtvā baliṁ samyag dadyād bhikṣāṁ dvijāya vai | alābhe brāhmaṇasyāgnāv agram uddhṛtya nikṣipet ||

Having thus properly prepared and offered the bali (ritual portion), one should then give alms to a twice-born (Brahmin). If no Brahmin is available to receive it, one should take up the foremost portion and place it into the sacred fire—so that the intended act of giving is not abandoned, but fulfilled in a dharmic substitute.

एवम्thus, in this manner
एवम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम्
कृत्वाhaving done
कृत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), active
बलिम्offering, oblation (bali)
बलिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootबलि
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
सम्यक्properly, correctly
सम्यक्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसम्यक्
दद्यात्should give
दद्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootदा
Formvidhi-ling (optative), present-system, third, singular, parasmaipada
भिक्षाम्alms, food given as alms
भिक्षाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभिक्षा
Formfeminine, accusative, singular
द्विजायto a twice-born (Brahmin)
द्विजाय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज
Formmasculine, dative, singular
वैindeed, certainly
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
अलाभेin the absence (of obtaining), when not available
अलाभे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअलाभ
Formmasculine, locative, singular
ब्राह्मणस्यof a Brahmin
ब्राह्मणस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण
Formmasculine, genitive, singular
अग्नौin/into the fire
अग्नौ:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअग्नि
Formmasculine, locative, singular
अग्रम्the first portion, the foremost share
अग्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअग्र
Formneuter, accusative, singular
उद्धृत्यhaving taken out, having lifted up
उद्धृत्य:
TypeVerb
Rootउद्-हृ
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), active
निक्षिपेत्should place, should deposit/offer
निक्षिपेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-क्षिप्
Formvidhi-ling (optative), present-system, third, singular, parasmaipada

वायुदेव उवाच

वायुदेव (Vāyudeva)
द्विज (dvija/Brahmin)
अग्नि (sacred fire)

Educational Q&A

Charity and ritual duty should be completed in a proper, dharmic way: give the allotted alms to a worthy Brahmin; if such a recipient is unavailable, do not neglect the obligation—offer the foremost portion into the sacred fire as a sanctioned substitute.

Vāyudeva is instructing on correct household/ritual conduct: after making the bali offering, one should distribute alms to a dvija. When a Brahmin cannot be found, the first portion is instead consigned to Agni, preserving the intent and purity of the rite.