Shloka 13

Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्

Devanagari script

भृत्यातिथिषु यो भुंक्ते भुक्तवत्सु नर: सदा | अमृतं केवल भुंक्ते इति विद्धि युधिछ्चिर

Transliteration

bhṛtyātithiṣu yo bhuṅkte bhuktavatsu naraḥ sadā | amṛtaṃ kevalaṃ bhuṅkte iti viddhi yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「ユディシュティラよ、知れ。常に、扶養する者たちと客人が食し終えてからのみ自ら食する者は、ただ甘露のみを味わう者であると見なすべきだ。」

Word by Word

• भृत्य-अतिथिषु: among/with respect to servants and guests
• भृत्य-अतिथिषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य + अतिथि
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भुङ्क्ते: eats
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• भुक्तवत्सु: when they have eaten / among those who have eaten
• भुक्तवत्सु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्तवत्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अमृतम्: nectar; ambrosia
• अमृतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• केवलम्: only, merely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल

• भुङ्क्ते: eats
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• विद्धि: know (you)! / understand!
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Yudhishthira
• dependents/servants (bhṛtya)
• guest (atithi)
• amṛta (nectar)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should practice dharma in daily life by feeding dependents and guests first; such selfless, disciplined hospitality is praised as spiritually elevating—equivalent to consuming “nectar.”

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Bhīṣma advises King Yudhiṣṭhira on household ethics, highlighting the merit of serving dependents and honoring guests before oneself.