Shloka 3
Pañcahotṛ-Vidhāna and the Dispute of the Five Vāyus (पञ्चहोतृविधानम् — पञ्चवायूनां श्रेष्ठत्वविवादः)
प्राण, अपान, उदान, समान और व्यान--ये पाँचों प्राण पाँच होता हैं। विद्वान् पुरुष इन्हें सबसे श्रेष्ठ मानते हैं ।।
brāhmaṇy uvāca | svabhāvāt sapta-hotāra iti me pūrvikā matiḥ | yathā vai pañca-hotāraḥ paro bhāvas tad ucyatām ||
ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣୀ କହିଲେ—ନାଥ! ପୂର୍ବେ ମୋର ଧାରଣା ଥିଲା ଯେ ସ୍ୱଭାବତଃ ସାତ ହୋତୃ ଅଛନ୍ତି; କିନ୍ତୁ ଏବେ ଆପଣଙ୍କ ବଚନରୁ ପାଞ୍ଚ ହୋତୃଙ୍କ କଥା ଜାଣିଲି। ତେବେ ଏହି ପାଞ୍ଚ ହୋତୃ କିପରି ବୁଝିବା? ଦୟାକରି ତାଙ୍କର ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠତା ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କରନ୍ତୁ।
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a shift from an earlier model of “seven offerers” to a teaching about “five offerers,” urging clarification of their higher significance—suggesting that spiritual understanding refines ritual categories into an inner, ethical-spiritual interpretation.
A Brahmin woman, engaged in dialogue with a teacher, states her prior belief in seven inherent ‘hotṛs’ and asks for an explanation of the newly introduced doctrine of five ‘hotṛs,’ requesting an account of why these five are considered superior.