Shloka 5

Merits of Vitastā, Devikā, Rudrakoṭī and Sarasvatī Sacred Fords

Devanagari script

चरुं सप्तार्चिषे राजन्यथाशक्ति निवेदयेत् । पितॄणामक्षयं दानं प्रवदंति मनीषिणः

Transliteration

caruṃ saptārciṣe rājanyathāśakti nivedayet | pitṝṇāmakṣayaṃ dānaṃ pravadaṃti manīṣiṇaḥ

Translation

Oh rey, según tu capacidad ofrece el arroz cocido (caru) al Fuego de Siete Llamas (Agni). Los sabios declaran que tal dádiva a los antepasados se vuelve imperecedera.

Word by Word

• carum: (sacrificial) porridge/oblation
• carum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (accusative), Eka-vacana

• saptārciṣe: to Saptārciṣ (the seven-flamed one)
• saptārciṣe: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapta (प्रातिपदिक) + arciṣ (अर्चिष् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Caturthī (चतुर्थी/dative), Eka-vacana; tatpuruṣa ‘sapta arcīṃṣi yasya’ used as name/epithet; dative ‘for Saptārciṣ’

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sambodhana, Puṃliṅga, Eka-vacana

• yathā-śakti: according to ability
• yathā-śakti: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) functioning as adverb (क्रियाविशेषण): ‘according to (one’s) ability’

• nivedayet: should offer
• nivedayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-vid (नि + विद्/वेद् धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (optative), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Eka-vacana; causative sense in usage ‘should offer/present’

• pitṝṇām: of the ancestors
• pitṝṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (पितृ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी/genitive), Bahu-vacana

• akṣayam: imperishable, inexhaustible
• akṣayam: Karma (कर्म) (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (accusative), Eka-vacana; adjective qualifying ‘dānam’

• dānam: gift, donation
• dānam: Karma (कर्म) (object of ‘pravadan-ti’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (accusative), Eka-vacana

• pravadan-ti: declare, say
• pravadan-ti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-vad (प्र + वद् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Bahu-vacana

• manīṣiṇaḥ: the wise (sages)
• manīṣiṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manīṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (nominative), Bahu-vacana

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic narrator addressing a king)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: saptārciṣe ← sapta + arciṣe; rājanyathāśakti ← rājan + yathāśakti; pitṝṇāmakṣayaṃ ← pitṝṇām + akṣayam; pravadaṃti normalized to pravadanti.

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Saptārciṣ)
• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

Who is the “Seven-Flamed” (Saptārciṣ) referred to in this verse?

“Saptārciṣ” is an epithet of Agni (the sacrificial fire), described as having seven tongues/flames through which offerings are conveyed in Vedic-style rites.

What is meant by “akṣaya dāna” (imperishable gift) for the Pitṛs?

It means an offering whose merit is considered enduring—especially when given with proper intent and capacity—so that its benefit to one’s ancestors is not quickly exhausted.

What ethical principle does the verse emphasize regarding ritual giving?

It emphasizes proportionality and sincerity: one should offer “according to one’s ability” (yathāśakti), making the rite inclusive and ethically grounded rather than burdensome.