Shloka 26

Adhyāya 166: Kṛtaghna-doṣa (कृतघ्नदोषः) — the fault of ingratitude and the limits of expiation

Devanagari script

उदक्यामासते ये च द्विजा: केचिदनग्नय: । होम॑ चाश्रोत्रियं येषां ते सर्वे पापकर्मिण:

Transliteration

udakyāmāsate ye ca dvijāḥ kecid anagnayaḥ | homaṃ cāśrotriyaṃ yeṣāṃ te sarve pāpakarmiṇaḥ ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「月経中の女と交わる婆羅門、家の聖火を保たぬ者、そしてヴェーダに拠らぬ（許されぬ）作法で供犠を行う者——そのすべては罪業をなす者と見なされるべきである。」この教えは、婆羅門の倫理的威徳が、節度ある行いと定められた儀礼への忠実さと切り離せないことを示す。

Word by Word

• उदक्यामासते: are in contact with a menstruating woman / cohabit with a rajasvalā
• उदक्यामासते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उदक्यामास् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथम, बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• द्विजाः: twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अनग्नयः: without (established) sacred fire
• अनग्नयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• होमम्: oblation / fire-offering
• होमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• अश्रोत्रियम्: not according to śruti / unvedic
• अश्रोत्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अश्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• येषाम्: of whom / whose
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पापकर्मिणः: doers of sinful acts
• पापकर्मिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापकर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• dvija (Brahmin)
• agni (sacred fire)
• homa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that ethical and ritual discipline are essential to dharma: sexual restraint regarding prohibited times, maintaining the sacred fire as a marker of household religious duty, and performing rites in accordance with Vedic authorization are presented as standards; violating them is labeled pāpa (sinful conduct).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma enumerates categories of Brahmins whose conduct is censured, using them as examples to define boundaries of proper behavior and correct ritual practice.