Shloka 39

Nṛga-upākhyāna: Brāhmaṇa-sva and the Consequence of Misappropriated Gift-Cattle (कृकलास-रूपे नृगोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

पयसा हविषा दध्ना शकृता चाथ चर्मणा

Transliteration

payasā haviṣā dadhnā śakṛtā cātha carmaṇā

Translation

ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു— “വിധിപ്രകാരം നിർദ്ദേശിച്ച കർമ്മം പാലുകൊണ്ടും ഹവിസ്സുകൊണ്ടും തൈരുകൊണ്ടും ഗോമയത്താലും ചർമത്താലും പോലും നിർവഹിക്കാം.”

Word by Word

• पयसा: with milk
• पयसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• हविषा: with oblation (ghee/offerings)
• हविषा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• दध्ना: with curd
• दध्ना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शकृता: with dung
• शकृता: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकृत्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अथ: then/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• चर्मणा: with hide/skin/leather
• चर्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• milk (payas)
• oblation (havis)
• curd (dadhi)
• cow-dung (śakṛt)
• hide/leather (carman)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That dharma can be fulfilled through approved substitutes: the emphasis is on completing one’s prescribed duty with purity and sincerity, even when ideal materials are unavailable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is instructing on ritual or dharmic procedure, listing permissible materials—milk, sacrificial oblation, curd, cow-dung, and hide—indicating acceptable means for carrying out a rite within the bounds of tradition.