Shloka 13

Abhimanyu’s Assault on Bhīṣma’s Screen; Banner-Felling and Reinforcements (सौभद्र-भीष्म-समरः)

Devanagari script

विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं5 मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम्‌ः | श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञ तामसं परिचक्षते,शास्त्रविधिसे हीन, अन्नदानसे रहित, बिना मन्त्रोंके, बिना दक्षिणाके और बिना श्रद्धाके किये जानेवाले यज्ञको तामस यज्ञ कहते हैं

Transliteration

vidhihīnam asṛṣṭānnaṃ mantrahīnam adakṣiṇam | śraddhāvirahitaṃ yajñaṃ tāmasaṃ paricakṣate ||

Translation

A sacrifice performed without the prescribed rules, without proper distribution of food, without the required mantras, without the offering of priestly fees, and without faith is declared to be a tāmasika (dark, deluded) sacrifice. Ethically, it is an outward show of ritual that lacks reverence, responsibility, and the intention to uphold dharma.

Word by Word

• विधिहीनम्: devoid of prescribed rules
• विधिहीनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधि-हीन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• असृष्टान्नम्: with food not duly offered/distributed
• असृष्टान्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-सृष्ट-अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मन्त्रहीनम्: without mantras
• मन्त्रहीनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र-हीन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अदक्षिणम्: without priestly fee (dakṣiṇā)
• अदक्षिणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-दक्षिण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रद्धाविरहितम्: lacking faith
• श्रद्धाविरहितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्धा-विरहित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यज्ञम्: sacrifice; ritual offering
• यज्ञम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तामसम्: tamasic (of darkness/ignorance)
• तामसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामस
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परिचक्षते: they call; they describe
• परिचक्षते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-चक्ष्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• yajña (sacrifice)
• mantra
• dakṣiṇā