Shloka 14

Pratyakṣa–Āgama–Ācāra: Doubt, Proof, and the Practice of Dharma (प्रत्यक्ष–आगम–आचारविचारः)

Devanagari script

तेषां होमक्रिया धर्म: पठचयज्ञनिषेवणम्‌ | भागं च पजञ्चयज्ञस्य वेदोक्तस्यथानुपालनम्‌

Transliteration

teṣāṁ homakriyā dharmaḥ paṭhya-yajña-niṣevaṇam | bhāgaṁ ca pañca-yajñasya vedoktasyātha-anupālanam ||

Translation

彼ら—林住の修行者—にとって正しき務めは、火供（ホーマ）を修し、定められた日々の祭祀を絶えず行うことである。さらに、しかるべき配分と順序をもって、吠陀に説かれる五つの祭（パンチャ・ヤジュニャ）を怠りなく守り、規律ある儀礼と学修によって聖なる秩序を支えるべきである。

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them (of those)
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• होमक्रिया: the act of oblation (homa-rite)
• होमक्रिया: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम-क्रिया
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: duty; prescribed practice
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्चयज्ञनिषेवणम्: practice/observance of the five sacrifices
• पञ्चयज्ञनिषेवणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-यज्ञ-निषेवण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भागम्: a portion; share
• भागम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पञ्चयज्ञस्य: of the fivefold sacrifice (pañca-yajña)
• पञ्चयज्ञस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वेदोक्तस्य: as enjoined in the Veda
• वेदोक्तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदोक्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अथ: then; moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अनुपालनम्: continuous observance; following
• अनुपालनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनु-पालन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Maheśvara (speaker)
• homa (fire-offering)
• pañca-yajña / pañcamahāyajña (five great sacrifices)
• Veda (as authority for injunctions)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that a vānaprastha’s dharma is disciplined continuity: daily fire-offerings (agnihotra/homa), sacred study/recitation, and the steady observance of the five Vedic sacrifices in an orderly manner, so that life in the forest remains anchored in Vedic responsibility rather than mere withdrawal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śrī Maheśvara is instructing about āśrama-dharma, specifying the prescribed conduct for those in the vānaprastha stage: maintaining ritual fire, engaging in recitation/study, and regularly performing the pañcamahāyajñas according to Vedic injunction.