Shloka 16
प्रतिग्रहभेदः — The Distinction between Giving and Accepting
Vṛṣādarbhī–Saptarṣi Dialogue
तत् कृत्वा स मुनिश्रेष्ठो धर्मसंकरमात्मन: । पश्चात्तापेन महता तप्यमानो<5भ्यचिन्तयत्
tat kṛtvā sa muniśreṣṭho dharmasaṅkaram ātmanaḥ | paścāttāpena mahatā tapyamāno 'bhyacintayat ||
Having performed that śrāddha, the foremost of sages, Nimi, judged that he had caused a confusion of dharma within himself—thinking, “The Veda prescribes śrāddha for father, grandfather, and the like, but I have, of my own will, performed it for my son.” Burnt by intense remorse, he then began to reflect as follows.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a well-intended ritual act can become ethically problematic if it departs from established śāstric injunctions; recognizing such deviation, one should engage in honest self-scrutiny and repentance rather than self-justification.
After performing a śrāddha intended for his son, the sage Nimi realizes that the Vedic rule traditionally directs such rites toward ancestors (father, grandfather, etc.). Feeling he has created a ‘dharma-confusion’ by acting on personal choice, he is overwhelmed with remorse and begins to deliberate on what to do next.