Shloka 1
Bhīṣma’s Counsel on Reconciliation and Partition (भीष्मोपदेशः—संधि-राज्यविभागविचारः)
> स्मृतियोंमें इष्ट और पूर्तका परिचय इस प्रकार दिया गया है-- अन्निहोत्रं तपः सत्यं वेदानां चानुपालनम् | आतिथ्य॑ वैश्वदेवं च इष्टमित्यभिधीयते ।। वापीकूपतडागादि देवतायतनानि च । अन्नप्रदानमारामा: पूर्तमित्यभिधीयते ।। “अग्निहोत्र, तप, सत्यभाषण, वेदोंकी आज्ञाका निरन्तर पालन, अतिथियोंका सत्कार तथा बलिवैश्वदेव कर्म--ये “इष्ट" कहलाते हैं। बावली, कुआँ, पोखरे आदि बनवाना, देवमन्दिर निर्माण कराना, अन्नदान देना और बगीचे लगाना--इनका नाम पूर्त है।' > इस विषयमें यह श्रुतिका वचन प्रसिद्ध है--'एकस्य बह्यो जाया भवन्ति, नैकस्यै बहवः सहपतय:' अर्थात् एक पुरुषकी बहुत-सी स्त्रियाँ होती हैं, किंतु एक स्त्रीके लिये बहुत-से पति नहीं होते। पजञ्चनवर्त्याधेकशततमो< ध्याय: व्यासजीके सामने द्रौपदीका पाँच पुरुषोंसे विवाह होनेके विषयमें द्रुपद, धृष्टद्युम्म और युधिष्ठिरका अपने-अपने विचार व्यक्त करना वैशम्पायन उवाच ततस्ते पाण्डवा: सर्वे पाज्चाल्यश्व महायशा: । प्रत्युत्थाय महात्मानं कृष्णं सर्वेडभ्यवादयन्,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! तदनन्तर वे पाण्डव तथा महायशस्वी पांचालराज द्रपद--सबने खड़े होकर महात्मा श्रीकृष्णद्वैपायन व्यासजीको प्रणाम किया इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत आदिपव॑के अन्तर्गत वैवाहिकपर्वमें व्याय-वाक्यविषयक एक सौ पंचानबेवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ ॥/ १९५ ॥/ ऑपन-आक्रात | अर क्ाञज षण्णवर्त्याधेकशततमोब् ध्याय: व्यासजीका द्रुपदको पाण्डवों तथा द्रौपदीके पूर्वजन्मकी कथा सुनाकर दिव्य दृष्टि देना और ट्रुपदका उनके दिव्य रूपोकी झाँकी करना व्यास उवाच पुरा वै नैमिषारण्ये देवा: सत्रमुपासते | तत्र वैवस्वतो राजड्शामित्रमकरोत् तदा
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
smṛtiṣu iṣṭa-pūrta-paricayaḥ evaṃ nirdiśyate—
agnihotraṃ tapaḥ satyaṃ vedānāṃ cānupālanam |
ātithyaṃ vaiśvadevaṃ ca iṣṭam ity abhidhīyate ||
vāpī-kūpa-taḍāgādi devatāyatanāni ca |
anna-pradānam ārāmāḥ pūrtam ity abhidhīyate ||
atra ca śruti-vacanaṃ prasiddham—
ekasya bahvyo jāyā bhavanti, na ekasyai bahavaḥ sahapatayaḥ ||
tataḥ te pāṇḍavāḥ sarve pāñcālyaś ca mahāyaśāḥ |
pratyutthāya mahātmānaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ sarve ’bhyavādayan ||
Vaiśampāyana said: In the Smṛti traditions, the distinction between iṣṭa and pūrta is explained as follows. The daily fire-offering (agnihotra), austerity, truthfulness, unwavering observance of the Vedas’ injunctions, hospitality to guests, and the rite of bali and vaiśvadeva—these are called “iṣṭa,” meritorious acts of sacrificial and disciplined duty. The digging of stepwells, wells, ponds and the like, the building of temples for the gods, the giving of food, and the planting of gardens—these are called “pūrta,” meritorious acts of public benefit and pious construction. On this matter a well-known Śruti statement is cited: “For one man there may be many wives; but for one woman there are not many co-husbands.” Then, in the narrative frame, all the Pāṇḍavas together with the illustrious king of the Pāñcālas rose and paid reverence to the great-souled Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa—signaling the transition to the deliberations surrounding Draupadī’s unusual marriage and the dharmic reasoning invoked to justify it.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage classifies meritorious action into two dharmic categories: iṣṭa (ritual and disciplined religious duties such as agnihotra, truthfulness, Vedic observance, hospitality, vaiśvadeva) and pūrta (socially beneficial pious works such as water-reservoirs, temples, food-giving, and gardens). It also signals how scriptural authority (Śruti/Smṛti) is invoked when resolving exceptional marital situations.
In the frame narration, after the discussion of dharmic principles and a cited Śruti maxim about marriage norms, the Pāṇḍavas and Drupada rise and pay homage to Vyāsa. This sets the stage for the ensuing deliberations and explanations concerning Draupadī’s marriage and its justification within dharma.