Shloka 1
अपन बछ। है २ >> द्ाविशोदष्ध्याय: मन-बुद्धि और इन्द्रियरूप सप्त होताओंका, यज्ञ तथा मन- इन्द्रिय-संवादका वर्णन ब्राह्मण उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । सुभगे सप्तहोतृणां विधानमिह यादृशम्,ब्राह्मणने कहा--सुभगे! इसी विषयमें इस पुरातन इतिहासका भी उदाहरण दिया जाता है। सात होताओंके यज्ञका जैसा विधान है, उसे सुनो
brāhmaṇa uvāca | atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṁ purātanam | subhage sapta-hotṝṇāṁ vidhānam iha yādṛśam |
The Brāhmaṇa said: “Here too, on this very matter, an ancient traditional account is cited as an illustration. O fortunate lady, listen to the rule and arrangement of the sacrifice as it is taught here—namely, the ordinance concerning the seven ‘hotṛs’ (officiants).”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames instruction through precedent: ethical and ritual understanding is strengthened by citing an ancient illustrative narrative, introducing the prescribed ‘seven hotṛs’ as a model for understanding sacrifice (often read allegorically as mind, intellect, and senses functioning in disciplined harmony).
A Brāhmaṇa begins a discourse by telling an addressed woman (‘Subhagā’) that an old itihāsa will be quoted as an example, and he invites her to hear the established ordinance concerning a sacrifice involving seven officiants.