Shloka 12

Jñāna-yoga and Karma-phala: Manu–Bṛhaspati on Akṣara and the Limits of Mantra

Devanagari script

अमृतं ब्राह्मणोच्छिष्टं जनन्या हृदयं कृतम्‌ । तज्जना: पर्युपासन्ते सत्यं सन्‍त: समासते

Transliteration

amṛtaṃ brāhmaṇocchiṣṭaṃ jananyā hṛdayaṃ kṛtam | taj janāḥ paryupāsante satyaṃ santaḥ samāsate ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଭୋଜନ କରି ସାରିଲା ପରେ ଯେ ଅବଶିଷ୍ଟ ଅନ୍ନ ରହେ, ତାହା ଅମୃତ ସମାନ; ମାତୃହୃଦୟ ପରି ହିତକର ବୋଲି ଗଣ୍ୟ। ଯେମାନେ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାଭକ୍ତିରେ ତାହା ସେବନ କରନ୍ତି, ସେମାନେ ସତ୍ପୁରୁଷ; ସତ୍ୟରେ ନିବାସ କରି ସତ୍ୟସ୍ୱରୂପ ପରବ୍ରହ୍ମକୁ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କରନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• अमृतम्: nectar; ambrosia
• अमृतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ब्राह्मण-उच्छिष्टम्: the leavings (food-remnant) of a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मण-उच्छिष्टम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + उच्छिष्ट
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• जनन्याः: of the mother
• जनन्याः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: जननी
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• हृदयम्: heart
• हृदयम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• कृतम्: made; regarded as
• कृतम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that (it)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पर्युपासन्ते: worship; attend upon; revere
• पर्युपासन्ते: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (परि+उप+आस्)
• Form: Lat (Present), Atmanepada, Third, Plural

• सत्यम्: truth; the True (Brahman)
• सत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सन्तः: good; virtuous; being (saints)
• सन्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समासते: sit near; abide; attain (by staying with)
• समासते: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (सम्+आस्)
• Form: Lat (Present), Atmanepada, Third, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahmin
• mother (as an ethical exemplar)
• ucchiṣṭa (leftover food)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Reverence toward the virtuous—symbolized by honoring and partaking of a Brahmin’s ucchiṣṭa—is presented as a dharmic act that purifies and leads one toward Satya (the Real/Truth).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction during the Shanti Parva, he praises a specific dharmic practice: treating the remnants of a Brahmin’s meal as sacred and beneficial, likening it to a mother’s nurturing care, and stating its spiritual fruit as abiding in Truth.