Shloka 37
Adhyāya 33: Antarvedī-Samāgama, Arghya-Nirṇaya, and Śiśupāla’s Objection
ते वाचयित्वा पुण्याहमूहयित्वा च तं विधिम् । शास्त्रोक्तं पूजयामासुस्तद् देवयजनं महत्
te vācayitvā puṇyāham ūhayitvā ca taṃ vidhim | śāstroktam pūjayāmāsus tad devayajanaṃ mahat ||
Ils firent réciter les bénédictions de bon augure (pūṇyāha) et établirent selon la règle le rite prescrit, en proclamant le saṅkalpa, la résolution solennelle qui en énonce le dessein. Puis, conformément aux injonctions du śāstra, ils firent honorer ce grand terrain sacrificiel—lieu consacré au culte des dieux.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights śāstra-guided action: major undertakings—especially royal-sacrificial ones—should be sanctified through auspicious rites and carried out strictly according to prescribed procedure, with the intention openly and correctly formulated.
Under Vaiśampāyana’s narration, the participants arrange the preliminary sanctifying recitations (puṇyāha), formalize the ritual resolve/intent (ūha/saṅkalpa), and then perform the scripturally prescribed honoring of the grand sacrificial ground (devayajana).