Shloka 25

Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

बन्धुभि: समनुज्ञाते मन्त्रहोमौ प्रयोजयेत्‌ । तथा सिद्धयन्ति ते मन्त्रा नादत्ताया: कथंचन

Transliteration

bandhubhiḥ samanujñāte mantrahomau prayojayet | tathā siddhyanti te mantrā nādattāyāḥ kathaṃcana ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—କନ୍ୟାର ବନ୍ଧୁଜନଙ୍କ ଅନୁମତି ମିଳିଲା ପରେ ହିଁ ବିବାହମନ୍ତ୍ର ଓ ହୋମର ପ୍ରୟୋଗ କରିବା ଉଚିତ; ସେତେବେଳେ ମାତ୍ର ସେ ମନ୍ତ୍ରଗୁଡ଼ିକ ସିଦ୍ଧ ହୁଏ। ଯେ କନ୍ୟାକୁ ତାଙ୍କର ମାତା-ପିତା/ଅଭିଭାବକ ଦ୍ୱାରା ବିଧିପୂର୍ବକ ଦାନ କରାଯାଇନାହିଁ, ତାଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ କରାଯାଇଥିବା ମନ୍ତ୍ରପ୍ରୟୋଗ କୌଣସି ଭାବେ ସିଦ୍ଧ ହୁଏ ନାହିଁ; ଏପରି ସଂଯୋଗକୁ ବେଦୀୟ ରୀତିରେ ସଂସ୍କୃତ ବିବାହ ବୋଲି ମନାଯାଏ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• बन्धुभिः: by/with the kinsmen
• बन्धुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• समनुज्ञाते: when (it is) permitted/approved
• समनुज्ञाते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अनु + ज्ञा (समनुज्ञात)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मन्त्रहोमौ: the mantras and the oblation (homa)
• मन्त्रहोमौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र + होम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• प्रयोजयेत्: should employ/perform
• प्रयोजयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + युज्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तथा: thus/in that way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• सिद्धयन्ति: become accomplished/succeed
• सिद्धयन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिध्
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• ते: those
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मन्त्राः: mantras
• मन्त्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• आदत्तायाः: of (a girl) not given (in donation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + दा (आदत्त)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• कथंचन: in any way/at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• bandhu (kinsmen/relatives)
• mantra (marriage mantras)
• homa (fire-offering)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ritual validity depends on rightful authorization: marriage mantras and homa are considered efficacious only when performed with the consent of the girl’s guardians/kinsmen and when she is duly ‘given’ in marriage; otherwise the rite is treated as not properly accomplished.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s dharma-instruction discourse (Anushasana Parva), he lays down a rule about the proper performance of marriage rites, emphasizing consent and formal guardianship-based giving as prerequisites for the success of the Vedic mantras and homa.