Shloka 216
Adhyāya 166: Kṛtaghna-doṣa (कृतघ्नदोषः) — the fault of ingratitude and the limits of expiation
परिवेष्टाग्निहोत्रस्य भवेन्नासंस्कृतस्तथा । न कन्या, न युवती, न मन्त्र न जाननेवाला, न मूर्ख और न संस्कारहीन पुरुष ही अग्निमें हवन करनेका अधिकारी है
pariveṣṭāgnihotrasya bhavennāsaṁskṛtastathā |
ビーシュマは言った。「アグニホートラおよびそれに伴う諸儀礼を行うにあたり、入門の儀（サンスカーラ）を受けず、鍛錬を欠く者もまた相応しくない。資格を備えぬ者—たとえば少女、未婚の若い女、真言を知らぬ者、愚者、あるいは定められたサンスカーラを欠く男—は、聖なる火に供物を投ずるべきではない。この教えは、ヴェーダの祭儀が衝動や見栄のためではなく、修練・清浄・力量を要する倫理の鍛錬であることを示す。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual action (like Agnihotra) is governed by dharma: it requires proper preparation—initiation/saṁskāra, knowledge of mantras, and maturity/competence. Without these, performing offerings is considered improper and spiritually/ritually invalid.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira about right conduct. Here he specifies qualifications for Vedic fire-rituals, warning that those lacking training or refinement should not perform havan/Agnihotra.