नहुषोपाख्यानम्—दीपदान-धूप-बलीकर्म-प्रशंसा
Nahūṣa Episode and the Commendation of Lamp-Gifting and Household Offerings
पितरश्न महाभागा ऋषयश्न तपोधना: । गृह्माश्व देवता: सर्वाः प्रीयन्ते विधिनार्चिता:
pitaraś ca mahābhāgā ṛṣayaś ca tapodhanāḥ | gṛhyāś ca devatāḥ sarvāḥ prīyante vidhinārcitāḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: Para Pitṛ yang mulia, para resi yang kaya tapa, dan seluruh dewa penjaga rumah tangga menjadi berkenan bila dipuja menurut tata yang benar. Karena itu, seorang bijak setelah mandi menyampaikan penghormatan dengan takzim dan melaksanakan upacara seperti tarpaṇa bagi para dewa dan lainnya; dengan demikian para penerima suci itu dipuaskan dan tatanan dharma di dalam rumah terpelihara.
भीष्म उवाच
Properly performed daily rites—especially bathing followed by reverent offerings like tarpaṇa—sustain dharma by pleasing gods, ancestors, and sages; ritual correctness (vidhi) and respectful intention are emphasized as ethical duties of a learned householder.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he explains to the listener that when one worships according to prescribed procedure, the Pitṛs, ṛṣis, and household deities become satisfied—highlighting the religious-social function of domestic worship and ancestral offerings.