Shloka 32

अनुशासनपर्व अध्याय ९३ — तपस्, सदोपवास, विघसाशन, अतिथिप्रियता

Austerity, regulated fasting, residual-eating, and hospitality

Devanagari script

जिन्होंने पुण्य तीर्थोमें गोता लगानेके लिये श्रम--प्रयत्न किया है

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | ye puṇya-tīrtheṣu nimajjanārthaṃ śrama-prayatnaṃ kṛtavantaḥ, veda-mantroccāraṇa-pūrvakam anekān yajñān anuṣṭhāya avabhṛtha-snānaṃ kṛtavantaḥ; ye krodha-rahitāś cañcalatā-rahitāḥ kṣamāśīlā mano-nigrahavantaḥ jitendriyāḥ sarva-bhūta-hitaiṣiṇaś ca, tān eva brāhmaṇān śrāddhe nimantrayitavyān || eteṣu dattam akṣayyam ete vai paṅkti-pāvanāḥ | ime pare mahā-bhāgā vijñeyāḥ paṅkti-pāvanāḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯେମାନେ ପୁଣ୍ୟ ତୀର୍ଥରେ ସ୍ନାନ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଶ୍ରମ ଓ ପ୍ରୟାସ କରିଛନ୍ତି, ଯେମାନେ ବେଦମନ୍ତ୍ର ଉଚ୍ଚାରଣପୂର୍ବକ ଅନେକ ଯଜ୍ଞ ଅନୁଷ୍ଠାନ କରି ଅବଭୃଥ-ସ୍ନାନରେ ସେଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ସମାପ୍ତ କରିଛନ୍ତି; ଯେମାନେ କ୍ରୋଧରହିତ, ଚଞ୍ଚଳତାରହିତ, କ୍ଷମାଶୀଳ, ମନୋନିଗ୍ରହୀ, ଜିତେନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ ଏବଂ ସମସ୍ତ ପ୍ରାଣୀଙ୍କ ହିତେଷୀ—ସେହି ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନଙ୍କୁ ଶ୍ରାଦ୍ଧରେ ନିମନ୍ତ୍ରଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ଏମାନଙ୍କୁ ଦିଆ ଦାନ ଅକ୍ଷୟ ହୁଏ, କାରଣ ସେମାନେ ପଙ୍କ୍ତିପାବନ—ଭୋଜନପଙ୍କ୍ତିକୁ ପବିତ୍ର କରନ୍ତି। ଏମାନଙ୍କ ଛଡ଼ା ଆଉ ମଧ୍ୟ ମହାଭାଗ୍ୟଶାଳୀ ପଙ୍କ୍ତିପାବନ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଅଛନ୍ତି; ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଏହିପରି ଯୋଗ୍ୟ ବୋଲି ଜାଣିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• eteṣu: among these / in these (persons)
• eteṣu: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: etad
• Form: masculine, locative, plural

• dattam: given (gift/charity)
• dattam: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (√dā)
• Form: kta (past passive participle), neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• akṣayyam: imperishable, inexhaustible
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣayya
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• ete: these (men)
• ete: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: etad
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• vai: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai

• paṅkti-pāvanāḥ: purifiers of the (dining) line/row
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paṅkti-pāvana
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• ime: these (others)
• ime: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: idam
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• pare: other, further
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• mahā-bhāgāḥ: very fortunate, highly blessed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-bhāga
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• vijñeyāḥ: are to be known/recognized
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√jñā
• Form: tavya (gerundive), masculine, nominative, plural, passive-necessitative

• paṅkti-pāvanāḥ: purifiers of the (dining) line/row
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paṅkti-pāvana
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (Bhīṣma)
• Brahmins (Brāhmaṇāḥ)
• puṇya-tīrtha (sacred pilgrimage places)
• Veda-mantras
• yajña (sacrifices)
• avabhṛtha-snāna
• śrāddha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In śrāddha, the worthiness of invitees matters: those who combine Vedic-ritual accomplishment with ethical virtues—non-anger, steadiness, forgiveness, self-restraint, sense-control, and universal benevolence—make the offering ‘akṣayya’ (inexhaustible in merit) and are called paṅkti-pāvanas, purifying the entire dining line.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is instructing (as a dharma-teacher) on the proper conduct of śrāddha rites, specifically identifying the kinds of Brahmins who should be invited and explaining why gifts to them yield enduring spiritual results.