Shloka 20

Devanagari script

कपिल उवाच दर्श च पौर्णमासं च अग्निहोत्रं च धीमत: । चातुर्मास्यानि चैवासंस्तेषु धर्म: सनातन:,कपिलजीने कहा--बुद्धिमान्‌ पुरुषके लिये दर्श, पौर्णमास, अग्निहोत्र तथा चातुर्मास्य आदिके अनुष्ठानका विधान है; क्योंकि उनमें सनातनधर्मकी स्थिति है

Transliteration

kapila uvāca: darśaṁ ca paurṇamāsaṁ ca agnihotraṁ ca dhīmataḥ | cāturmāsyāni caivāsaṁs teṣu dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ||

Translation

Kapila said: For the wise person, the observances of the new-moon and full-moon rites, the daily Agnihotra, and the seasonal Cāturmāsya sacrifices are enjoined; for in these rites the eternal order of dharma is upheld and made manifest.

Word by Word

कपिलःKapila

उवाचsaid

दर्शम्new-moon rite (Darśa sacrifice)

चand

पौर्णमासम्full-moon rite (Paurṇamāsa sacrifice)

चand

अग्निहोत्रम्Agnihotra (fire-offering ritual)

चand

धीमतःof/for the wise (person)

चातुर्मास्यानिCāturmāsya rites (seasonal sacrifices)

चand

एवindeed/just

आसन्were / exist

तेषुin them

धर्मःdharma / religious duty

सनातनःeternal

Speaker

कपिल उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kapila

Darśa rite

Paurṇamāsa rite

Agnihotra

Cāturmāsya rites

Dharma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Kapila emphasizes that certain Vedic rites—new-moon and full-moon sacrifices, the daily Agnihotra, and the seasonal Cāturmāsya—are not mere formalities but supports of sanātana-dharma, sustaining an enduring moral and cosmic order through disciplined, prescribed action.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instructional discourse, Kapila is explaining to his listener(s) the place of orthodox ritual duties within dharma, listing key sacrifices and stating that the eternal dharma is established in them.