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Shloka 27

प्रतिग्रहभेदः — The Distinction between Giving and Accepting

Vṛṣādarbhī–Saptarṣi Dialogue

देवास्तु पितरो नाम निर्मिता ये स्वयम्भुवा । उष्णपा ये महाभागास्तेषां भाग: प्रकल्पित:

devāstu pitaro nāma nirmitā ye svayambhuvā | uṣṇapā ye mahābhāgāsteṣāṃ bhāgaḥ prakalpitaḥ ||

भीष्म म्हणाले—स्वयम्भू (ब्रह्मा) यांनी निर्माण केलेले काही देव ‘पितर’ या नावाने प्रसिद्ध आहेत. ते महाभाग पितर ‘उष्णपा’ असेही म्हणतात. स्वयम्भूने श्राद्धात त्यांचा भाग निश्चित केला आहे.

देवाःgods
देवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
पितरःFathers/Manes (Pitṛs)
पितरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
नामname (as/under the name)
नाम:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनामन्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
निर्मिताःcreated/produced
निर्मिताः:
TypeAdjective
Rootनिर्मित
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural, Past passive participle (क्त)
येwho/which
ये:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
स्वयम्भुवाby Svayambhū (the Self-born, Brahmā)
स्वयम्भुवा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootस्वयम्भू
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
उष्णपाःUṣṇapas (a class of Pitṛs)
उष्णपाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootउष्णप
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
येwho
ये:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
महाभागाःgreatly fortunate/noble
महाभागाः:
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाभाग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तेषाम्of them
तेषाम्:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
भागःshare/portion (in offerings)
भागः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभाग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रकल्पितःassigned/ordained
प्रकल्पितः:
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रकल्पित
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
S
Svayambhū
D
Devāḥ
P
Pitṛs (Pitaras)
U
Uṣṇapāḥ
Ś
Śrāddha (rite/offerings)

Educational Q&A

That honoring the Pitṛs through śrāddha is not optional sentiment but a dharmically authorized obligation: the Creator himself has assigned the Pitṛs their rightful share in offerings.

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he identifies a class of beings called the Pitṛs—also termed Uṣṇapā—and explains their divine origin and their formally prescribed portion in śrāddha rites.