Umā–Maheśvara-saṃvāda: Varṇa-bhraṃśa, Ācāra (Vṛtta), and Karmic Ascent/Decline
विश्वामित्र उवाच श्रूयतां परम गुह्ां रहस्यं धर्मसंहितम् । परमान्नेन यो दद्यात् पितृणामौपहारिकम्
viśvāmitra uvāca śrūyatāṃ parama-guhyaṃ rahasyaṃ dharma-saṃhitam | paramānnena yo dadyāt pitṝṇām aupahārikam ||
Viśvāmitra berkata: “Dengarkan ajaran yang amat rahasia ini, sebuah misteri yang berlandaskan dharma. Barang siapa mempersembahkan, sebagai pemberian bagi para Pitṛ (leluhur), makanan terbaik—persembahan itu dinyatakan berbuah jasa yang luar biasa.”
विश्वामित्र उवाच
The verse frames giving excellent food as an offering for the Pitṛs as an esoteric dharma-teaching, emphasizing that properly directed charity connected to ancestral duty yields exceptional religious merit.
Viśvāmitra addresses his audience and introduces a ‘secret’ dharma instruction, beginning a description of the special merit obtained by making a high-quality food-offering as a gift for the ancestors.