Shloka 10
नहुषोपाख्यानम्—दीपदान-धूप-बलीकर्म-प्रशंसा
Nahūṣa Episode and the Commendation of Lamp-Gifting and Household Offerings
पितरश्न महाभागा ऋषयश्न तपोधना: । गृह्माश्व देवता: सर्वाः प्रीयन्ते विधिनार्चिता:
pitaraś ca mahābhāgā ṛṣayaś ca tapodhanāḥ | gṛhyāś ca devatāḥ sarvāḥ prīyante vidhinārcitāḥ ||
Dijo Bhīṣma: Los bienaventurados Pitṛs (espíritus ancestrales) y los sabios ascetas, ricos en austeridad, quedan complacidos; y también todas las deidades del hogar se alegran cuando se las venera conforme a la regla debida. Así, el hombre instruido, después de bañarse, ofrece salutaciones reverentes y cumple ritos como el tarpaṇa (oblación de agua) para los dioses y otros, satisfaciendo a esos receptores sagrados y sosteniendo el orden del dharma en la casa.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Properly performed daily rites—especially bathing followed by reverent offerings like tarpaṇa—sustain dharma by pleasing gods, ancestors, and sages; ritual correctness (vidhi) and respectful intention are emphasized as ethical duties of a learned householder.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he explains to the listener that when one worships according to prescribed procedure, the Pitṛs, ṛṣis, and household deities become satisfied—highlighting the religious-social function of domestic worship and ancestral offerings.