Shloka 26

प्रतिग्रहभेदः — The Distinction between Giving and Accepting

Vṛṣādarbhī–Saptarṣi Dialogue

Devanagari script

“तदनन्तर श्राद्धकी आधारभूता पृथ्वीकी वैष्णवी, काश्यपी और अक्षया आदि नामोंसे स्तुति करनी चाहिये ।।

Transliteration

tadanantaraṁ śrāddhakyā ādhārabhūtā pṛthivī kī vaiṣṇavī, kāśyapī ca akṣayā ity-ādi nāmabhiḥ stutiṁ kartavyā. udakānayane caiva stotavyo varuṇo vibhuḥ. tato 'gniś caiva somaś ca āpyāyyāvihatau, anagha.

Translation

Bhishma instructs that, after the preceding rites, one should praise the Earth—who supports the śrāddha—by venerating her through names such as Vaiṣṇavī, Kāśyapī, and Akṣayā. When water is to be brought for the rite, the mighty Varuṇa should be hymned. Thereafter, O blameless one, Agni and Soma too should be duly satisfied, so that the offerings proceed without obstruction.

Word by Word

• {'tadanantaram': 'thereafter

• next', 'śrāddha': 'ancestral rite

• offering to Pitṛs performed with faith', 'ādhārabhūtā': 'serving as the support/foundation', 'pṛthivī': 'Earth (personified as a goddess)', 'vaiṣṇavī': 'belonging to Viṣṇu

• a name/epithet of Earth', 'kāśyapī': 'descendant of Kaśyapa

• an epithet of Earth', 'akṣayā': 'imperishable

• unfailing (as a divine epithet)', 'stuti': 'praise

• hymn', 'udaka-ānayana': 'bringing/collecting water (for ritual use)', 'stotavyaḥ': 'to be praised

• should be hymned', 'varuṇa': 'deity presiding over waters and ṛta (cosmic order)', 'vibhuḥ': 'mighty

• powerful lord', 'tataḥ': 'then

• thereafter', 'agni': 'fire-god

• carrier of offerings', 'soma': 'Soma (deity/oblation)

• ritual essence and nourishment', 'āpyāyya': 'having satisfied

• having refreshed/propitiated', 'avihata': 'unobstructed

• unhindered', 'anagha': 'O sinless one

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Pṛthivī (Earth)
• Vaiṣṇavī (epithet of Earth)
• Kāśyapī (epithet of Earth)
• Akṣayā (epithet of Earth)
• Varuṇa
• Agni
• Soma
• Śrāddha
• Udaka (ritual water)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Śrāddha should be performed with ordered reverence: honor the Earth as the sustaining base of the rite, invoke Varuṇa when procuring ritual water, and then satisfy Agni and Soma so the offerings are conveyed and the rite remains unobstructed.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma lays out procedural steps for śrāddha: specific praises to Earth, a hymn to Varuṇa at the water-bringing stage, and subsequent propitiation of Agni and Soma as part of the ritual sequence.