Shloka 38
प्रतिग्रहभेदः — The Distinction between Giving and Accepting
Vṛṣādarbhī–Saptarṣi Dialogue
“बल, धृति, विपाप्मा, पुण्यकृत्, पावन, पर्ष्पिक्षेमा, समूह, दिव्यसानु, विवस्वान्, वीर्यवानू, हीमान्, कीर्तिमान, कृत, जितात्मा, मुनिवीर्य, दीप्तरोमा, भयंकर, अनुकर्मा, प्रतीत, प्रदाता, अंशुमान, शैलाभ, परमक्रोधी, धीरोष्णी, भूपति, स्रज, वज्री, वरी, विश्वेदेव, विद्युद्वर्चा, सोमवर्चा, सूर्यश्री, सोमप, सूर्यसावित्र, दत्तात्मा, पुण्डरीयक, उष्पीनाभ, नभोद, विश्वायु, दीप्ति, चमूहर, सुरेश, व्योमारि, शंकर, भव, ईश, कर्ता, कृति, दक्ष, भुवन, दिव्यकर्मकृत्, गणित, पंचवीर्य, आदित्य, रश्मिवान्, सप्तकृत, सोमवर्चा, विश्वकृत, कवि, अनुगोप्ता, सुगोप्ता, नप्ता और ईश्वर। इस प्रकार सनातन विश्वेदेवोंके नाम बतलाये गये। ये महाभाग कालकी गतिके जाननेवाले कहे गये हैं ।। अश्राद्धेयानि धान्यानि कोद्रवा: पुलकास्तथा । हिंगुद्रव्येषु शाकेषु पलाण्डुं लसुनं तथा
bhīṣma uvāca | balaḥ dhṛtiḥ vipāpmā puṇyakṛt pāvanaḥ puṣṭikṣemaḥ samūhaḥ divyasānuḥ vivasvān vīryavān himavān kīrtimān kṛtaḥ jitātmā munivīryaḥ dīptaromā bhayaṅkaraḥ anukarmā pratītaḥ pradātā aṃśumān śailābhaḥ paramakrodhī dhīroṣṇī bhūpatiḥ srajaḥ vajrī varī viśvedevaḥ vidyudvarcā somavarcā sūryaśrīḥ somapaḥ sūryasāvitraḥ dattātmā puṇḍarīyakaḥ uṣṇīnāmā (?) nabhodaḥ viśvāyuḥ dīptiḥ camūharaḥ sureśaḥ vyomāriḥ śaṅkaraḥ bhavaḥ īśaḥ kartā kṛtī dakṣaḥ bhuvanaḥ divyakarmakṛt gaṇitaḥ pañcavīryaḥ ādityaḥ raśmivān saptakṛt somavarcā viśvakṛt kaviḥ anugoptā sugoptā naptā īśvaraḥ | iti sanātanān viśvedevānāṃ nāmāni prakīrtitāni | ete mahābhāgāḥ kālasya gatiṃ viduḥ || aśrāddheyāni dhānyāni kodravāḥ pulakās tathā | hiṅgudravyeṣu śākeṣu palāṇḍuṃ lasunaṃ tathā ||
Bhīṣma said: “Bala, Dhṛti, Vipāpmā, Puṇyakṛt, Pāvana, Puṣṭikṣema, Samūha, Divyasānu, Vivasvān, Vīryavān, Himavān, Kīrtimān, Kṛta, Jitātmā, Munivīrya, Dīptaromā, Bhayaṅkara, Anukarmā, Pratīta, Pradātā, Aṃśumān, Śailābha, Paramakrodhī, Dhīroṣṇī, Bhūpati, Sraja, Vajrī, Varī, Viśvedeva, Vidyudvarcā, Somavarcā, Sūryaśrī, Somapa, Sūryasāvitra, Dattātmā, Puṇḍarīyaka, (Uṣṇīnāmā), Nabhoda, Viśvāyu, Dīpti, Camūhara, Sureśa, Vyomāri, Śaṅkara, Bhava, Īśa, Kartā, Kṛtī, Dakṣa, Bhuvana, Divyakarmakṛt, Gaṇita, Pañcavīrya, Āditya, Raśmivān, Saptakṛt, Somavarcā, Viśvakṛt, Kavi, Anugoptā, Sugoptā, Naptā, and Īśvara—thus have the eternal names of the Viśvedevas been declared. These great beings are said to know the course of Time.” “Further, certain grains are not fit to be offered in śrāddha rites—such as kodrava and pulāka; likewise among pungent substances and vegetables, onion and garlic are also (to be avoided).”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage links dharma to ritual discipline: it honors the Viśvedevas through recitation of their names and then prescribes purity rules for ancestral rites, indicating that correct offerings and restraint in food choices are part of ethical-ritual order.
Bhīṣma, instructing on dharma, first enumerates the traditional names/epithets of the Viśvedevas and praises them as knowers of Time’s course; he then shifts to practical guidance for śrāddha, listing grains and pungent items (including onion and garlic) considered unsuitable for offering.