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Shloka 14

प्रतिग्रहभेदः — The Distinction between Giving and Accepting

Vṛṣādarbhī–Saptarṣi Dialogue

दक्षिणाग्रास्ततो दर्भा विष्टरेषु निवेशिता: । पादयोश्वैव विप्राणां ये त्वन्नमुपभुञज्जते

dakṣiṇāgrās tato darbhā viṣṭareṣu niveśitāḥ | pādayoś caiva viprāṇāṃ ye tv annam upabhuñjate ||

പിന്നീട് അദ്ദേഹം ഇരിപ്പിടങ്ങളിൽ തെക്കോട്ടു മുനയുള്ള ദർഭ (കുശ) പുല്ല് വിരിച്ചു; ഭോജനം കഴിക്കാനിരുന്ന ബ്രാഹ്മണരുടെ പാദങ്ങൾക്കു കീഴിലും അതേ തെക്കുമുനയുള്ള കുശ വെച്ചു।

दक्षिणाग्राःhaving tips to the south (south-pointed)
दक्षिणाग्राः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदक्षिणाग्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
ततःthen; thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
दर्भाःdarbha-grass blades
दर्भाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदर्भ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
विष्टरेषुon the seats/spreads (grass-seats)
विष्टरेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootविष्टार
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
निवेशिताःplaced; arranged
निवेशिताः:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-विश्
FormPast (PPP), Plural, Masculine, Nominative
पादयोःof (their) two feet
पादयोः:
TypeNoun
Rootपाद
FormMasculine, Genitive, Dual
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एवindeed; just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
विप्राणाम्of the brahmins
विप्राणाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
येwho
ये:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तुbut; indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
अन्नम्food
अन्नम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअन्न
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उपभुञ्जतेeat; partake (of)
उपभुञ्जते:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-भुज्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
B
brāhmaṇas (viprāḥ)
D
darbha/kuśa grass
V
viṣṭara (seats/mats)
F
food (anna)

Educational Q&A

The verse emphasizes ritual propriety and mindful purity in ancestral offerings: even details like arranging south-pointed kuśa on seats and under the diners’ feet are part of dharma when honoring the departed through brāhmaṇa-feeding.

Bhishma describes the procedure of a śrāddha-like rite: the performer prepares the seating with darbha grass oriented southward and places it beneath the feet of the brāhmaṇas who will eat, marking the act as a carefully observed ancestral offering.