Shloka 216

Adhyāya 166: Kṛtaghna-doṣa (कृतघ्नदोषः) — the fault of ingratitude and the limits of expiation

Devanagari script

परिवेष्टाग्निहोत्रस्य भवेन्नासंस्कृतस्तथा । न कन्या, न युवती, न मन्त्र न जाननेवाला, न मूर्ख और न संस्कारहीन पुरुष ही अग्निमें हवन करनेका अधिकारी है

Transliteration

pariveṣṭāgnihotrasya bhavennāsaṁskṛtastathā |

Translation

Dijo Bhīṣma: En lo tocante a la ejecución del Agnihotra y de los ritos que lo acompañan, tampoco es apto quien no ha sido iniciado ni debidamente formado. Quien carece de la idoneidad requerida—como una niña o una joven no casada, quien no conoce los mantras, un necio, o un hombre sin los saṃskāras prescritos—no debe emprender ofrendas en el fuego sagrado. Esta enseñanza subraya que el rito védico es una disciplina ética que exige adiestramiento, pureza y competencia, no mero impulso ni ostentación social.

Word by Word

परिवेष्टof one who is wrapped/covered (i.e., not properly prepared/qualified)

अग्निहोत्रस्यof the Agnihotra (fire-offering rite)

भवेत्would be / should be

नnot

असंस्कृतःunrefined / uninitiated / without proper rites

तथाthus / likewise

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Agnihotra

sacred fire (Agni)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ritual action (like Agnihotra) is governed by dharma: it requires proper preparation—initiation/saṁskāra, knowledge of mantras, and maturity/competence. Without these, performing offerings is considered improper and spiritually/ritually invalid.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira about right conduct. Here he specifies qualifications for Vedic fire-rituals, warning that those lacking training or refinement should not perform havan/Agnihotra.