Shloka 60

अध्याय २८१ — दानधर्मः, न्यायागतधनम्, ऋणत्रय-परिशोधनं च

Dāna ethics, lawful wealth, and settling obligations

Devanagari script

वृत्रस्य रुधिराच्चैव शिखण्डा: पार्थ जज्ञिरे । द्विजातिभिरभ क्ष्यास्ते दीक्षितैश्व तपोधनै:,कुन्तीनन्दन! वृत्रासुरके रक्तसे बहुतेरे छत्रक उत्पन्न हुए थे, जो ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय और वैश्यके लिये तथा यज्ञकी दीक्षा लेनेवालोंके लिये और तपस्वियोंके लिये अभक्षणीय हैं

Transliteration

vṛtrasya rudhirāc caiva śikhaṇḍāḥ pārtha jajñire | dvijātibhir abhakṣyās te dīkṣitaiś ca tapodhanaiḥ ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: «О Партха, из крови Вритры возникло множество шикханда — грибов. Они запрещены в пищу для дважды-рождённых (брахманов, кшатриев и вайшьев), равно как и для тех, кто находится под жертвенным посвящением, и для аскетов, богатых тапасом.»

Word by Word

• वृत्रस्य: of Vṛtra
• वृत्रस्य: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• रुधिरात्: from blood
• रुधिरात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुधिर
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

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

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• शिखण्डाः: mushrooms/fungi (śikhaṇḍa-s)
• शिखण्डाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पार्थ: O Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• जज्ञिरे: were born/arose
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural, Ātmanepada

• द्विजातिभिः: by/for the twice-born (Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya)
• द्विजातिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• अभक्ष्याः: not to be eaten/inedible (forbidden as food)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभक्ष्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दीक्षितैः: by/for the initiated (under vow for sacrifice)
• दीक्षितैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षित
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• तपोधनैः: by/for ascetics (those whose wealth is austerity)
• तपोधनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोधन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Vṛtra (Vṛtrāsura)
• Śikhaṇḍa (mushrooms/fungi)
• Dvijāti (twice-born classes)
• Dīkṣita (one under sacrificial consecration)
• Tapodhana (ascetics)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That dharma includes restraint and purity in consumption: certain foods are prohibited especially for the twice-born, for those under sacrificial consecration, and for ascetics, because their vows and ritual states demand heightened discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma explains to Arjuna that mushrooms (śikhaṇḍa) are said to have arisen from the blood of the asura Vṛtra, and on that basis they are classified as unfit for consumption by specific dharma-bound groups.