Shloka 98

Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa

Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results

Devanagari script

यज्ञ पशुपते: प्रीता वरुणस्य महात्मन: । स्वयम्भुवस्तु ता दृष्टवा रेत: समपतद्‌ भुवि

Transliteration

yajñe paśupateḥ prītā varuṇasya mahātmanaḥ | svayambhuvas tu tā dṛṣṭvā retaḥ samapatad bhuvi ||

Translation

Васиṣṭха сказал: В жертвоприношении Пашупати небесные девы ликовали, и великий Варуна был доволен. Но когда Своямбху (Брахма) увидел тех дев, его семя невольно пролилось на землю.

Word by Word

• यज्ञे: in the sacrifice
• यज्ञे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पशुपतेः: of Paśupati (Śiva)
• पशुपतेः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशुपति
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• प्रीताः: pleased, delighted
• प्रीताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• वरुणस्य: of Varuṇa
• वरुणस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled (one)
• महात्मनः: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• स्वयम्भुवः: of Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• स्वयम्भुवः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम्भू
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तु: but, however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• ताः: them (those women)
• ताः: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• रेतः: semen, seed
• रेतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेतस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• समपतत्: fell down
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भुवि: on the earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (भूमि)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Paśupati (Śiva)
• Varuṇa
• Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• devāṅganāḥ (celestial maidens)
• yajña (sacrifice/ritual)
• bhūmi (earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse implicitly teaches vigilance and self-restraint: sensory allure can disturb even highly exalted beings, so ethical discipline (dama) and mindful control of desire are essential for maintaining dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

During a sacrifice connected with Paśupati, celestial maidens are present and pleased, and Varuṇa is gratified; when Brahmā (Svayambhū) sees the maidens, he experiences an involuntary emission, which falls upon the earth.