Shloka 93

Pulastya’s Tīrtha Enumeration: Sarasvatī, Naimiṣa, Gayā, and Associated Phalaśruti

Chapter 82

Devanagari script

चरुं सप्तार्चिषे राजन्‌ यथाशक्ति निवेदयेत्‌ । पितृणामक्षयं दानं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिण:,वहाँसे त्रिभुवनविख्यात वडवातीर्थको जाय। वहाँ पश्चिम संध्याके समय विधिपूर्वक स्नान और आचमन करके अग्निदेवको यथाशक्ति चरु निवेदन करे। वहाँ पितरोंके लिये दिया हुआ दान अक्षय होता है; ऐसा मनीषी पुरुष कहते हैं

Transliteration

caruṃ saptārciṣe rājan yathāśakti nivedayet | pitṝṇām akṣayaṃ dānaṃ pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

“O King, one should, according to one’s means, offer a cooked oblation (caru) into the fire of the Seven-flamed Agni. The wise declare that a gift made for the ancestors (pitṛs) becomes imperishable (akṣaya), yielding enduring merit.”

Word by Word

• {'caruṃ': 'caru

• a cooked sacrificial offering/porridge-like oblation presented into fire', 'saptārciṣe': 'to the seven-flamed (Agni)

• epithet of the fire-god as having seven tongues/flames', 'rājan': 'O king

• vocative address to a ruler', 'yathāśakti': 'according to one’s capacity

• within one’s means', 'nivedayet': 'should offer/present (as an oblation)', 'pitṝṇām': 'of/for the ancestors, the Pitṛs', 'akṣayam': 'imperishable, inexhaustible (in merit/result)', 'dānam': 'gift, charitable donation (especially in a ritual context)', 'pravadanti': 'they say, they proclaim', 'manīṣiṇaḥ': 'the wise, discerning sages'}

Speaker

घुलस्त्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Saptārciṣ)
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Rājan (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ritual action and charity should be performed within one’s means, and offerings or gifts dedicated to the ancestors are taught to yield akṣaya (enduring, inexhaustible) spiritual merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker addresses a king and prescribes a rite: offering a caru oblation into Agni (described as seven-flamed) and giving donations for the Pitṛs, emphasizing the lasting fruit of such ancestral offerings.