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Shloka 34

Prāyaścitta-vidhāna: Tapas, Dāna, Vrata, and Proportional Expiation (प्रायश्चित्तविधानम्)

देवानषीन्‌ मनुष्यांश्व पितृन्‌ गृह्माश्व देवता:

devān ṛṣīn manuṣyāṁś ca pitṝn gṛhyāṁś ca devatāḥ

Vyāsa dit : «Les divinités embrassent et soutiennent tous les ordres d’êtres : dieux, ṛṣi (sages), humains, Pitṛ (pères ancestraux), et même les puissances du foyer ainsi que les divinités présidant aux rites.» Dans le cadre éthique du Śānti Parva, ce vers souligne que le dharma n’est pas seulement une loi sociale, mais un ordre cosmique reliant les hommes aux sages, aux ancêtres et aux forces divines qui maintiennent la vie et le devoir rituel.

देवान्the gods
देवान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
ऋषीन्the sages
ऋषीन्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootऋषि
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
मनुष्यांश्चand the humans
मनुष्यांश्च:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमनुष्य
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
पितॄन्the ancestors (Pitṛs)
पितॄन्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
गृह्मान्the householders (reading uncertain)
गृह्मान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगृह्म
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
देवताःthe deities
देवताः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदेवता
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural

व्यास उवाच

V
Vyāsa
D
Devas (gods)
Ṛṣis (sages)
M
Manuṣyas (humans)
P
Pitṛs (ancestors)
D
Devatās (deities/presiding powers)

Educational Q&A

Dharma operates across multiple planes: humans are ethically and ritually connected to sages (knowledge), ancestors (gratitude and continuity), and deities (cosmic governance). Right conduct therefore includes honoring these relationships through duty, restraint, and appropriate rites.

Vyāsa is enumerating categories of beings/powers—gods, sages, humans, ancestors, and household presiding deities—to frame a teaching in Śānti Parva that situates human conduct within a wider sacred and moral ecology.