Shloka 9

Ajagara-vrata (The ‘Python’ Discipline): Prahrāda Questions a Wandering Sage

Devanagari script

कार्तिक्यामद्य भोक्तार: सहस्र मे द्विजोत्तमा: । तत्रायमपि भोक्ता च देयमस्मै च मे धनम्‌

Transliteration

kārtikyām adya bhoktāraḥ sahasraṃ me dvijottamāḥ | tatrāyam api bhoktā ca deyam asmai ca me dhanam ||

Translation

ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—‘ਅੱਜ ਕਾਰਤਿਕੀ ਦੇ ਪੁੰਨ ਅਵਸਰ ਤੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਘਰ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ ਉੱਤਮ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਭੋਜਨ ਕਰਨਗੇ। ਉਥੇ ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਭੋਜਨ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਕਰੋ; ਅਤੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਧਨ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਦਾਨ ਵੀ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਜਾਵੇ।’

Word by Word

• कार्तिक्याम्: on (the day of) Kārtikī / in Kārtika (time)
• कार्तिक्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिकी
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• भोक्तारः: eaters/guests (those who will eat)
• भोक्तारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोक्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मे: of me / my
• मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• द्विजोत्तमाः: best of the twice-born (excellent Brahmins)
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजोत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• अयम्: this (person)
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• भोक्ता: an eater/guest
• भोक्ता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोक्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• देयम्: to be given / should be given
• देयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अस्मै: to him
• अस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

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

• मे: my / of me
• मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• dvijottamāḥ (eminent brāhmaṇas)
• Kārtikī (religious observance/day)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic generosity: on an auspicious occasion, one should not only perform formal charity (feeding worthy recipients) but also include an additional person compassionately and provide him a material gift from one’s own resources.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, speaking as an authority on dharma, declares that he is hosting a large ceremonial feeding of brāhmaṇas on the Kārtikī day and instructs that a particular person present should also be seated among the diners and be given wealth as a donation.