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:,जो ब्राह्मण रजस्वला स्त्रीके साथ समागम करते हैं, जिन्होंने घरमें अग्निकी स्थापना नहीं की है; तथा जो अवैदिक रीतिसे हवन करते हैं, वे सभी पापाचारी हैं

Transliteration

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

Translation

ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ರಜಸ್ವಲೆಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಸಂಗಮಿಸುವ ದ್ವಿಜರು, ಗೃಹಾಗ್ನಿಯನ್ನು ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸದವರು, ಹಾಗೂ ಶ್ರೌತವಿಧಿಗೆ ವಿರುದ್ಧವಾಗಿ (ಅಶ್ರೌತ್ರಿಯವಾಗಿ) ಹೋಮ ಮಾಡುವವರು—ಅವರೆಲ್ಲ ಪಾಪಕರ್ಮಿಗಳು.

Word by Word

उदक्यामासतेare in contact with a menstruating woman / cohabit with a rajasvalā

येwho

चand

द्विजाःtwice-born (Brahmins etc.)

केचित्some

अनग्नयःwithout (established) sacred fire

होमम्oblation / fire-offering

चand

अश्रोत्रियम्not according to śruti / unvedic

येषाम्of whom / whose

तेthey

सर्वेall

पापकर्मिणःdoers of sinful acts

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

dvija (Brahmin)

agni (sacred fire)

homa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

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.