Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

खुग्भाण्डपरमा नित्यं त्रेताग्निशरणा: सदा | सन्त: सत्पथनित्या ये ते यान्ति परमां गतिम्‌

Transliteration

khuḍbhāṇḍa-paramā nityaṃ tretāgni-śaraṇāḥ sadā | santaḥ satpatha-nityā ye te yānti paramāṃ gatim ||

Translation

マヘーシュヴァラは言った。「聖なる祭具を常に第一とし、つねにヴェーダの三つの火に帰依し、その奉仕と守護に絶えず励み、善き者の道を堅く歩む者—かくのごとき徳ある人々は、自らのダルマに専心して、最高の境地に至る。」

Word by Word

• खुग्भाण्डपरमाः: those for whom khuk-vessels are supreme (best implements)
• खुग्भाण्डपरमाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खुग्भाण्ड-परम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यम्

• त्रेताग्निशरणाः: having the three sacred fires as refuge
• त्रेताग्निशरणाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रेता-अग्नि-शरण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• सन्तः: good people; the virtuous
• सन्तः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सत्पथनित्याः: ever devoted to the good path
• सत्पथनित्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्-पथ-नित्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यान्ति: go; attain
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गतिम्: state; goal; destination
• गतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī-Maheśvara (Mahādeva/Śiva)
• tretāgni (three sacred fires)
• khuḍbhāṇḍa (sacrificial implements)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Steadfast adherence to dharma—expressed through disciplined maintenance of the Vedic fires, reverence for sacrificial implements, and constant commitment to the righteous path—leads the virtuous to the highest attainment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Maheshvara is describing the conduct of exemplary householders/ritualists: they keep the three sacred fires, serve them daily, and live by satpatha; as a result, they reach paramā gati, the supreme destination.