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Shloka 76

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

ब्राह्मणस्तु सुरापस्य गन्धमादाय सोमप:,सोमपान करनेवाला ब्राह्मण यदि किसी शराबीकी गन्ध भी सूँघ ले तो वह तीन दिनोंतक गरम जल पीकर रहे, फिर तीन दिन गरम दूध पीये। तीन दिन गरम दूध पीनेके बाद तीन दिनतक केवल वायु पीकर रहे। इससे वह शुद्ध हो जाता है

brāhmaṇas tu surāpasya gandham ādāya somapaḥ |

ພີສະມະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ຖ້າພຣາຫມັນຜູ້ດື່ມໂສມະ (Soma) ແມ່ນແຕ່ສູດກິ່ນຂອງຄົນດື່ມເຫຼົ້າ ກໍຄວນປະພຶດພິທີຊໍາລະ: ສາມມື້ດື່ມແຕ່ນ້ໍາຮ້ອນ; ຕໍ່ມາສາມມື້ດື່ມແຕ່ນົມຮ້ອນ; ແລະຫຼັງຈາກນັ້ນອີກສາມມື້ ຢູ່ໄດ້ແຕ່ລົມ (ອົດອາຫານສິ້ນເຊີງ). ດ້ວຍວິໄນນີ້ ລາວຈຶ່ງບໍລິສຸດ».

ब्राह्मणःa Brahmin
ब्राह्मणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
सुरापस्यof liquor (sura)
सुरापस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootसुरा
FormFeminine, Genitive, Singular
गन्धम्smell/odor
गन्धम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगन्ध
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आदायhaving taken/received (i.e., having smelled)
आदाय:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-दा
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
सोमपःa Soma-drinker
सोमपः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसोमप
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
B
brāhmaṇa (Brahmin)
S
surā (liquor)
S
Soma

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that even indirect contact with intoxicants (here, merely smelling a drunkard) is treated as a serious impurity for a Soma-qualified Brahmin, and that purity is restored through a structured, time-bound penance emphasizing restraint and bodily discipline.

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Shanti Parva, he lays down a specific expiation: three days on hot water, three days on hot milk, and three days living only on air, after which the Brahmin is considered purified.