Shloka 50
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
यत् स्कन्नमस्य तत् पूर्व यदस्कन्नं तदुत्तरम् | बहूनि यज्ञरूपाणि नानाकर्मफलानि च,(बह्वृच ब्राह्मणमें सोलह प्रकारके अग्निहोत्र बताये गये हैं) होताका किया हुआ जो हवन वायुदेवताके उद्देश्यसे होता है, वह स्कन्नसंज्ञक होम प्रथम है और उससे भिन्न जो स्कन्नसंज्ञक होम है, वह अन्तिम या सबसे उत्कृष्ट है। इसी प्रकार रौद्र आदि बहुत-से यज्ञ हैं, जो नाना प्रकारके कर्मफल देनेवाले हैं
yat skannam asya tat pūrvaṁ yad askannaṁ tad uttaram | bahūni yajñarūpāṇi nānākarmaphalāni ca ||
Bhīṣma said: “That offering in this rite which is called ‘skanna’ is the earlier (preliminary) one; and that which is ‘askanna’ comes later (as the subsequent or culminating offering). In this way there are many forms of sacrifice, and they yield many different fruits according to the actions and intentions involved.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma emphasizes that Vedic rites have differentiated forms and sequences, and that distinct ritual actions lead to distinct results (karma-phala). The verse frames sacrifice as structured and consequential, not uniform.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhīṣma continues his didactic exposition to Yudhiṣṭhira, describing classifications within sacrificial practice and noting the variety of yajñas and their respective outcomes.