Shloka 154

Devanagari script

मार्जारश् च गृहे यस्य सो ऽप्यन्त्यजसमो नरः भोजयेद्यस्तु विप्रेन्द्रान् मार्जारसंनिधौ यदि

Transliteration

mārjāraś ca gṛhe yasya so 'pyantyajasamo naraḥ bhojayedyastu viprendrān mārjārasaṃnidhau yadi

Translation

ആരുടെ വീട്ടിൽ പൂച്ച ഉണ്ടോ, ആ മനുഷ്യനും അന്ത്യജനോടു സമാനനെന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു; പൂച്ച അടുത്തിരിക്കെ ശ്രേഷ്ഠ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാർക്ക് ഭോജനമൊരുക്കുകയാണെങ്കിൽ അത് വിധിവിരുദ്ധമായ അശുദ്ധകർമ്മമായി കണക്കാക്കപ്പെടുന്നു।

Word by Word

• मार्जारः: cat

• च: and

• गृहे: in the house

• यस्य: of whom/whose

• सः: he

• अपि: even

• अन्त्यज-समः: equal to an antyaja (outcaste) in ritual status

• नरः: man

• भोजयेत्: should feed/causes to eat

• यः: who

• तु: indeed

• विप्र-इन्द्रान्: the best among Brāhmaṇas

• मार्जार-संनिधौ: in the proximity/presence of a cat

• यदि: if

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Śaiva ritual conduct to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It underscores śuddhi (ritual purity) around offerings and hospitality—an extension of Śiva-pūjā discipline where food-gifts and feeding the worthy must be done without doṣa-causing impurities in the immediate environment.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Indirectly, it points to Śiva as Pati who is approached through regulated ācāra: when the pashu (individual soul) seeks grace, it removes pasha (bondage) expressed as impurity and negligence in worship-related actions.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Ritual practice (pūjā-ācāra) is highlighted—specifically doṣa-avoidance during brāhmaṇa-bhojana and sacred feeding, a supporting limb to Śaiva vrata and pūjā rather than a yogic technique.