Shloka 35

तीर्थवंशोपदेशः

Tīrtha-vaṃśa Upadeśa: Instruction on the Fruits of Sacred Waters

Devanagari script

(मुहूर्तानां त्रय॑ पूर्वमह्नः प्रातरिति स्मृतम्‌ । जपथध्यानादिभिस्तस्मिन्‌ विप्रैः कार्य शुभव्रतम्‌ ।।

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | muhūrtānāṃ trayaḥ pūrvam ahnaḥ prātar iti smṛtam | japa-dhyānādibhis tasmin vipraiḥ kāryaṃ śubha-vratam || saṅgava-ākhyas tribhāgaṃ tu madhyāhnas tri-muhūrtakaḥ | laukikaṃ saṅgave 'rthyaṃ ca snānādi madhyame || caturtham aparāhṇaṃ tu tri-muhūrtaṃ tu pitṛyakam | sāyāhnas tri-muhūrtaś ca madhyamaṃ kavibhiḥ smṛtam || śrāddhāpavarge viprasya svadhā vai muditā bhavet | kṣatriyasya api yo brūyāt prīyantāṃ pitaras tv iti ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ— ଦିନର ପ୍ରଥମ ତିନି ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତ ‘ପ୍ରାତଃକାଳ’ ବୋଲି ସ୍ମୃତ। ସେ ସମୟରେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନେ ଜପ-ଧ୍ୟାନ ଆଦି ଦ୍ୱାରା ନିଜ କଲ୍ୟାଣ ପାଇଁ ଶୁଭ ବ୍ରତାଚରଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ପରବର୍ତ୍ତୀ ତିନି ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତ ‘ସଙ୍ଗବ’ ଏବଂ ତା’ପରେ ତିନି ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତ ‘ମଧ୍ୟାହ୍ନ’। ସଙ୍ଗବକାଳରେ ଲୌକିକ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରିବା ଉଚିତ, ମଧ୍ୟାହ୍ନରେ ସ୍ନାନ ଓ ସନ୍ଧ୍ୟାବନ୍ଦନ ଯୁକ୍ତ। ମଧ୍ୟାହ୍ନ ପରେ ତିନି ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତ ‘ଅପରାହ୍ନ’—ଦିନର ଚତୁର୍ଥ ଭାଗ—ପିତୃକାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ପାଇଁ ଉପଯୁକ୍ତ। ତା’ପରେ ତିନି ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତ ‘ସାୟାହ୍ନ’, ଯାହାକୁ ବିଦ୍ୱାନମାନେ ଦିନ-ରାତିର ସନ୍ଧିକାଳ ବୋଲି ମାନନ୍ତି। ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଙ୍କ ଘରେ ଶ୍ରାଦ୍ଧ ସମାପ୍ତିରେ ‘ସ୍ୱଧା’ ଉଚ୍ଚାରଣ ପିତୃମାନଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରସନ୍ନ କରେ; କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟଙ୍କ ଘରେ ‘ପିତରଃ ପ୍ରୀୟନ୍ତାମ୍’ ବୋଲି କହିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• श्राद्ध: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्ध: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अपवर्गे: at the conclusion/termination
• अपवर्गे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपवर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• विप्रस्य: of a brāhmaṇa
• विप्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• स्वधा: Svadhā (the pitṛ-offering formula/oblation)
• स्वधा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• मुदिता: pleased, delighted
• मुदिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुदित
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: would be / should be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• क्षत्रियस्य: of a kṣatriya
• क्षत्रियस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रूयात्: should say/utter
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्रीयन्ताम्: may they be pleased
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री
• Form: Imperative (Lot), 3rd, Plural, Atmanepada

• पितरः: the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• vipra (brahmins)
• kṣatriya
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• śrāddha
• svadhā
• sandhyā

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma teaches a dharmic ordering of the day: allocate specific time-blocks (muhūrtas) for spiritual practice (japa, dhyāna), worldly responsibilities, purification and sandhyā rites, and ancestral duties (śrāddha/pitṛ-kārya). Right timing is presented as part of right conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhīṣma continues his didactic discourse by defining traditional divisions of daytime and prescribing appropriate activities for each, including how to conclude a śrāddha with role-appropriate formulas for brahmins and kṣatriyas.