Shloka 44

Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)

Devanagari script

ऋग्यजु:सामवित्‌ पूज्यो नित्यं स्थाद्‌ देववद्‌ द्विज: । अनृग्यजुरसामा च प्राजापत्य उपद्रव: । यज्ञों मनीषया तात सर्ववर्णेषु भारत

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | ṛgyajuḥsāmavit pūjyo nityaṃ sthād devavad dvijaḥ | anṛgyajur asāmā ca prājāpatya upadravaḥ | yajño manīṣayā tāta sarvavarṇeṣu bhārata ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଋକ୍, ଯଜୁଃ ଓ ସାମବେଦ ଜାଣୁଥିବା ଦ୍ୱିଜ ସଦା ଦେବତା ସମ ପୂଜ୍ୟ। ଯେ ଋକ୍-ଯଜୁଃ-ସାମ ଜ୍ଞାନରହିତ—ଦାସ କିମ୍ବା ଶୂଦ୍ର ପରି—ସେ ମଧ୍ୟ ‘ପ୍ରାଜାପତ୍ୟ’ (ପ୍ରଜାପତି-ସମ୍ବନ୍ଧୀୟ ଭକ୍ତ) ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଇପାରେ। ତାତ, ଭାରତବଂଶଜ! ମନୀଷା ଓ ସଙ୍କଳ୍ପଦ୍ୱାରା ହେଉଥିବା ମାନସ ଯଜ୍ଞ ସମସ୍ତ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣରେ ଅଧିକାରଭୁକ୍ତ।

Word by Word

• ऋग्यजुःसामवित्: knower of the Ṛg-, Yajus-, and Sāma-veda
• ऋग्यजुःसामवित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋग् + यजुः + सामन् + विद् (वित्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पूज्यः: worthy of worship/honour
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• स्थात्: should be / ought to be
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• देववत्: like a god
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: देववत्

• द्विजः: a twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अनृग्यजुरसामाः: devoid of Ṛg, Yajus and Sāma (knowledge)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन् + ऋग् + यजुः + सामन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• प्राजापत्यः: one belonging to Prajāpati / a Prajāpatya (devotee/rite-follower)
• प्राजापत्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राजापत्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उपद्रवः: disturbance; affliction; (here) a troublesome one
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपद्रव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhārata (address to Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Prajāpati
• Ṛgveda
• Yajurveda
• Sāmaveda
• Dvija
• Śūdra
• Dāsa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma distinguishes between (1) the social reverence due to a dvija learned in the three Vedas and (2) the broader spiritual accessibility of inner sacrifice: a mental, intention-based yajña is open to all varṇas, even to those without Vedic study.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma advises Yudhiṣṭhira about religious merit and social honor: Vedic mastery warrants high respect, yet devotion and inward sacrificial practice are not restricted to the Veda-trained classes.