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Shloka 21

उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel

अभिषेकांश्व नियमान्‌ देवतायतनेषु च । बलिं च कृत्वा हुत्वा च देवतां चाप्यपूजयत्‌,वह तीनों समय नहाता, नियमोंका पालन करता, देव-स्थानोंमें पूजा चढ़ाता, अग्निमें आहुति देता और देवताकी पूजा करता था

abhiṣekāṃś ca niyamān devatāyataneṣu ca | baliṃ ca kṛtvā hutvā ca devatāṃ cāpy apūjayat ||

अभिषेकांश्च नियमान् देवतायतनेषु च। बलिं च कृत्वा हुत्वा च देवतां चाप्यपूजयत्॥

अभिषेकान्ablutions/bathings (ritual baths)
अभिषेकान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअभिषेक
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
नियमान्observances/vows
नियमान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनियम
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
देवतायतनेषुin temples/shrines of deities
देवतायतनेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootदेवतायतन
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
बलिम्offering (bali)
बलिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootबलि
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
कृत्वाhaving done/made
कृत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active
हुत्वाhaving offered (into fire)
हुत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootहु
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
देवताम्the deity
देवताम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदेवता
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अपिalso/even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
अपूजयत्he worshipped/honoured
अपूजयत्:
TypeVerb
Rootपूज्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
D
devatā (deities)
D
devatāyatana (temples/shrines)
A
agni (sacrificial fire)

Educational Q&A

Dharma is sustained through regular discipline and reverent action: timely bathing, observance of vows, offerings, and worship cultivate purity, gratitude, and steadiness of character.

Bhishma describes a person’s exemplary daily religious routine—bathing, keeping observances, visiting shrines, making bali and fire-offerings, and worshipping the deity—highlighting a life ordered by ritual duty and devotion.