Shloka 13

उपवासफलात्मकविधिः — Upavāsa as Yajña-Equivalent Merit

Angiras Teaching

Devanagari script

चतुर्थभक्तक्षपणं वैश्ये शूद्रे विधीयते । त्रिरात्रं नतु धर्मजिविंहितं धर्मदर्शिभि:

Transliteration

caturthabhaktakṣapaṇaṃ vaiśye śūdre vidhīyate | trirātraṃ na tu dharmajīvihitaṃ dharmadarśibhiḥ ||

Translation

ଅଙ୍ଗିରା କହିଲେ—ବୈଶ୍ୟ ଓ ଶୂଦ୍ରଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ପ୍ରାୟଶ୍ଚିତ୍ତ ହେଉଛି ଚତୁର୍ଥ ଭୋଜନକାଳ ତ୍ୟାଗ; ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ ଦୁଇ ଦିନ ଓ ଦୁଇ ରାତି ମାତ୍ର ଉପବାସ। ଧର୍ମଦର୍ଶୀ ଓ ଧର୍ମଜ୍ଞ ଋଷିମାନେ ତାଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ତିନି ରାତିର ଉପବାସକୁ ଧର୍ମଜୀବନର ନିୟମ ଭାବେ ବିଧାନ କରିନାହାନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• चतुर्थभक्तक्षपणम्: the expiation consisting in giving up the fourth meal-time food
• चतुर्थभक्तक्षपणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थ-भक्त-क्षपण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• वैश्ये: for/in the case of a Vaiśya
• वैश्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शूद्रे: for/in the case of a Śūdra
• शूद्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• विधीयते: is prescribed/ordained
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (वि + धा)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Ātmanepada, Passive

• त्रिरात्रम्: three nights (a three-night fast/period)
• त्रिरात्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिरात्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• तु: but/however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• धर्मजीविनाम्: of those who live by dharma (righteous men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मजीविन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• हितम्: beneficial/approved
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मदर्शिभिः: by the seers of dharma (learned authorities)
• धर्मदर्शिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मदर्शिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

अंगियरा उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Aṅgiras
• Vaiśya
• Śūdra
• dharmadarśin (dharma-seers/sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse states a differentiated rule of expiatory fasting: for Vaiśyas and Śūdras, the dharma-authorities prescribe a shorter fast (up to the ‘fourth meal-time,’ understood as two days and two nights), not the stricter three-night fast.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma and penances, the sage Aṅgiras explains the appropriate duration of fasting as expiation for different social orders, clarifying that a three-night fast is not enjoined for Vaiśyas and Śūdras in this context.