Shloka 36
Umā–Maheśvara-saṃvāda: Varṇa-bhraṃśa, Ācāra (Vṛtta), and Karmic Ascent/Decline
गजच्छायायां पूर्वस्यां कुतपे दक्षिणामुख: । यदा भाद्रपदे मासि भवते बहुले मघा
gajacchāyāyāṃ pūrvasyāṃ kutape dakṣiṇāmukhaḥ | yadā bhādrapade māsi bhavate bahule maghā |
ວິສະວາມິດຕະກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ທ່ານເທວະທັງຫຼາຍ, ຈົ່ງຟັງຄໍາສອນອັນລັບລຶກສູງສຸດກ່ຽວກັບທັມມະນີ້. ເມື່ອໃນເດືອນພາດຣະປະດະ ໃນຄື່ງເດືອນມືດ, ດາວມະຄາ (Maghā) ປາກົດ, ໃນເວລານັ້ນ ຜູ້ໃດທີ່ຫັນໜ້າໄປທາງໃຕ້ ຢືນໃນເວລາມົງຄຸນ ‘ກຸຕະປະ’—ເມື່ອເງົາຊ້າງຕົກໄປທາງຕາເວັນອອກ—ແລະໃຫ້ອາຫານອັນປະເສີດເປັນທານເພື່ອປິຕຣະ, ກ່າວກັນວ່າຈະໄດ້ຜົນອັນກວ້າງໃຫຍ່: ດ້ວຍທານພຽງຄັ້ງດຽວນັ້ນ ຄວນເຂົ້າໃຈວ່າເຂົາໄດ້ປະກອບພິທີສຣາດທະ (śrāddha) ອັນຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່ແກ່ປິຕຣະໃນໂລກນີ້ຕະຫຼອດສິບສາມປີ»។
विश्वामित्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that properly timed and intentioned charity—especially the gift of good food dedicated to the Pitṛs—can yield exceptionally large merit. It emphasizes dharma as disciplined giving aligned with sacred time (nakṣatra, fortnight, and muhūrta) and correct ritual orientation.
Viśvāmitra addresses the gods and reveals a confidential rule about ancestral rites: under a specific calendrical configuration (Bhādrapada, dark fortnight, Maghā) and at the kutapa time, a person facing south and standing where an elephant’s shadow falls eastward should give food as an offering for the Pitṛs; the act is praised as equivalent to sustaining a great śrāddha for thirteen years.