Shloka 60

अध्याय २८१ — दानधर्मः, न्यायागतधनम्, ऋणत्रय-परिशोधनं च

Dāna ethics, lawful wealth, and settling obligations

Devanagari script

वृत्रस्य रुधिराच्चैव शिखण्डा: पार्थ जज्ञिरे । द्विजातिभिरभ क्ष्यास्ते दीक्षितैश्व तपोधनै:,कुन्तीनन्दन! वृत्रासुरके रक्तसे बहुतेरे छत्रक उत्पन्न हुए थे, जो ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय और वैश्यके लिये तथा यज्ञकी दीक्षा लेनेवालोंके लिये और तपस्वियोंके लिये अभक्षणीय हैं

Transliteration

vṛtrasya rudhirāc caiva śikhaṇḍāḥ pārtha jajñire | dvijātibhir abhakṣyās te dīkṣitaiś ca tapodhanaiḥ ||

Translation

ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ പാർഥാ! വൃത്രന്റെ രക്തത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ശിഖണ്ഡങ്ങൾ (കൂണുകൾ) ഉദ്ഭവിച്ചു. അവ ദ്വിജന്മാർക്കും, യജ്ഞദീക്ഷിതർക്കും, തപോധനരായ തപസ്വികൾക്കും ഭക്ഷ്യയോഗ്യമല്ല.

Word by Word

वृत्रस्यof Vṛtra

रुधिरात्from blood

चand

एवindeed/just

शिखण्डाःmushrooms/fungi (śikhaṇḍa-s)

पार्थO Pārtha (Arjuna)

जज्ञिरेwere born/arose

द्विजातिभिःby/for the twice-born (Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya)

अभक्ष्याःnot to be eaten/inedible (forbidden as food)

तेthey/those

दीक्षितैःby/for the initiated (under vow for sacrifice)

चand

तपोधनैःby/for ascetics (those whose wealth is austerity)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Vṛtra (Vṛtrāsura)

Śikhaṇḍa (mushrooms/fungi)

Dvijāti (twice-born classes)

Dīkṣita (one under sacrificial consecration)

Tapodhana (ascetics)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That dharma includes restraint and purity in consumption: certain foods are prohibited especially for the twice-born, for those under sacrificial consecration, and for ascetics, because their vows and ritual states demand heightened discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma explains to Arjuna that mushrooms (śikhaṇḍa) are said to have arisen from the blood of the asura Vṛtra, and on that basis they are classified as unfit for consumption by specific dharma-bound groups.