Shloka 276

Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda

Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity

Devanagari script

प्रजा विवर्धते चास्य अक्षयं चोपतिष्ठति । यही श्राद्धकी विधि बतायी गयी है

Transliteration

prajā vivardhate cāsya akṣayaṃ copatiṣṭhati |

Translation

Bhishma berkata: Dengan mengikuti tata cara śrāddha yang telah ditetapkan ini, keturunan seseorang akan berkembang, dan kemakmuran yang tidak susut akan sentiasa menyertainya. Amalan demikian mencegah kemerosotan dharma; ia membuat para Pitṛ (leluhur) sentiasa gembira dan puas, serta memastikan zuriatnya bertambah tanpa berkurang.

Word by Word

• प्रजा: progeny/subjects
• प्रजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• विवर्धते: grows/increases
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (वि-वृध्)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

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

• अस्य: of him/of this (person)
• अस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अक्षयम्: imperishable/undiminishing (prosperity/benefit)
• अक्षयम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• उपतिष्ठति: attends/comes to him; is present
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (उप-स्था)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• śrāddha
• pitaraḥ (ancestors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Proper performance of śrāddha according to prescribed rules sustains dharma, pleases the ancestors, and yields enduring welfare—especially the growth and continuity of one’s progeny and unfailing support in life.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues his instruction on dharma, here emphasizing the results of correctly observing śrāddha: ancestral satisfaction, preservation of righteousness, and the flourishing of one’s lineage with imperishable benefit.