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Shloka 45

Bhīmasena’s Discourse on Kāla, Resolve, and the Feasibility of Ajñātavāsa (भीमसेनस्य कालोपदेशः)

चरन्तो मृगयां नित्यं शुद्धैर्बाणै्मगार्थिन: । पितृदैवतविप्रेभ्यो निर्वपन्तो यथाविधि,वे प्रतेदिन हिंसक पशुओंको मारनेके लिये शुद्ध (शास्त्रानुकूल) बाणोंद्वारा शिकार खेलते थे एवं शास्त्रकी विधिके अनुसार नित्य पितरों तथा देवताओंको अपना-अपना भाग देते थे अर्थात्‌ नित्य श्राद्ध और नित्य होम करते थे

caranto mṛgayāṃ nityaṃ śuddhair bāṇair mṛgārthinaḥ | pitṛ-daivata-viprebhyo nirvapanto yathā-vidhi ||

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。彼らは常に狩猟に身を置き、獲物を求めて日々、清浄なる矢――すなわち聖典(シャーストラ)により許された矢――をもって追い立てた。しかも定められた作法に従い、祖霊(ピトリ)、諸神、そしてバラモンにそれぞれの分を欠かさず供え、動物への殺生を伴う暮らしの中にあっても、日々のシュラーダ(祖霊供養)と日々のホーマ(火供)を守り続けていた。

चरन्तःmoving about; roaming
चरन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootचर्
Formशतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural
मृगयाम्hunting
मृगयाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमृगया
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
नित्यम्always; daily
नित्यम्:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनित्य
शुद्धैःwith pure; clean
शुद्धैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootशुद्ध
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural
बाणैःwith arrows
बाणैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootबाण
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
मृगार्थिनःseekers of game; hunters
मृगार्थिनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमृगार्थिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पितृto the Pitṛs (manes)
पितृ:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ
FormMasculine, Dative, Plural
दैवतto the deities
दैवत:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootदैवत
FormNeuter, Dative, Plural
विप्रेभ्यःto the Brahmins
विप्रेभ्यः:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र
FormMasculine, Dative, Plural
निर्वपन्तःoffering; distributing (oblations/shares)
निर्वपन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootनि-√वप्
Formशतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural
यथाas; according to
यथा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
विधिrule; prescribed procedure
विधि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootविधि
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
M
mṛga (game animals/quarry)
B
bāṇa (arrows)
P
pitṛs (ancestors)
D
devatās (gods)
V
vipras (Brahmins)

Educational Q&A

The verse juxtaposes necessary or customary violence (hunting) with strict adherence to dharma through daily ritual obligations—offerings to ancestors, gods, and Brahmins—implying that conduct is judged not only by livelihood but also by conformity to śāstric restraint and continual religious duty.

The narrator describes people who regularly roam in the forest hunting game with ‘pure’ (properly sanctioned) arrows, while simultaneously maintaining prescribed daily rites by distributing offerings to the pitṛs, the gods, and Brahmins—i.e., performing daily śrāddha and homa.