Shloka 9

महाभूत–इन्द्रिय–मनस्–बुद्धि–अन्तरात्मा विवेकः | Discrimination of Elements, Senses, Mind, Intellect, and Inner Self

Devanagari script

वार्षिक संचयं केचित्‌ केचिद्‌ द्वादशवार्षिकम्‌ । कुर्वन्त्यतिथिपूजार्थ यज्ञतन्त्रार्थमेव वा

Transliteration

vārṣika-saṃcayaṃ kecit kecid dvādaśa-vārṣikam | kurvanty atithi-pūjārthaṃ yajña-tantrārtham eva vā ||

Translation

Vyāsa dit : Certains amassent des provisions pour une année, d’autres en rassemblent pour douze ans. Mais cette réserve n’est pas œuvre d’avidité : elle est faite pour une fin juste, afin d’honorer l’hôte (atithi) et d’accomplir comme il se doit les devoirs des rites sacrificiels (yajña).

Word by Word

• वार्षिकम्: annual (for a year)
• वार्षिकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वार्षिक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सञ्चयम्: accumulation, store
• सञ्चयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सञ्चय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क-चित्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• केचित्: some (others)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क-चित्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• द्वादशवार्षिकम्: twelve-year (lasting twelve years)
• द्वादशवार्षिकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश-वार्षिक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कुर्वन्ति: they do/make
• कुर्वन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अतिथिपूजार्थम्: for the purpose of honoring guests
• अतिथिपूजार्थम्: Prayojana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि-पूजा-अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यज्ञतन्त्रार्थम्: for the purpose of the sacrificial procedure/ritual system
• यज्ञतन्त्रार्थम्: Prayojana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ-तन्त्र-अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• atithi (guest)
• yajña (sacrificial rite)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Accumulation is ethically justified when it serves dharma—supporting hospitality to guests and fulfilling sacrificial/ritual duties—rather than personal hoarding or greed.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Vyāsa explains that some householders store provisions for long periods, and clarifies that such storage can be intended for honoring guests and maintaining yajña-related obligations.