Shloka 8

Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्

Devanagari script

विघसाशी कथं च स्याद्‌ सदा चैवातिथिप्रिय: । अमृताशी सदा च स्यात्‌ पवित्री च सदा भवेत्‌

Transliteration

vighasāśī kathaṃ ca syād sadā caivātithipriyaḥ | amṛtāśī sadā ca syāt pavitrī ca sadā bhavet ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ମନୁଷ୍ୟ କିପରି ‘ବିଘସାଶୀ’ ହେବ—ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ ଅନ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କୁ ତୃପ୍ତ କରି ସାରିଲା ପରେ ଯାହା ଅବଶିଷ୍ଟ ରହେ ତାହା ମାତ୍ର ଭୋଜନ କରିବ—ଏବଂ ସଦା ଅତିଥି-ସତ୍କାରପ୍ରିୟ ହେବ? ସେ କିପରି ଅମୃତାଶୀ ପରି ଜୀବନ ଯାପନ କରି, ଆଚରଣରେ ନିରନ୍ତର ପବିତ୍ର ରହିବ?

Word by Word

• विघसाशी: one who eats remnants (after others)
• विघसाशी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विघसाशिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

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

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अतिथिप्रियः: fond of guests
• अतिथिप्रियः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिथिप्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अमृताशी: one who eats ambrosia (nectar) / one whose food is nectar
• अमृताशी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमृताशिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

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

• पवित्री: purifier; purifying (one/thing)
• पवित्री: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवित्री
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse points to dharma expressed through hospitality and self-restraint: one should prioritize feeding others (especially guests) before oneself, thereby cultivating purity and a life that feels ‘nectar-like’ through righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here he frames an inquiry about the disciplines and attitudes by which a person becomes devoted to guests, eats only after serving others, and attains a consistently purifying way of life.