Shloka 5

पात्रलक्षण-परिक्षा (Pātra-Lakṣaṇa Parīkṣā) — Criteria for a Worthy Recipient

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणेभ्यो हविर्दत्तं प्रतिगृह्लन्ति देवता:

Transliteration

brāhmaṇebhyo havir dattaṃ pratigṛhlanti devatāḥ

Translation

ब्राह्मणेभ्यो हविर्दत्तं प्रतिगृह्णन्ति देवताः॥

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: to/for the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Plural

• हविः: oblation, sacrificial offering
• हविः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिगृह्णन्ति: accept, receive
• प्रतिगृह्णन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतिग्रह् (प्रति + ग्रह्)
• Form: Lat (present), Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• देवताः: the deities
• देवताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Brāhmaṇas
• Devatās
• Havis (sacrificial oblation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Offerings become truly effective when given according to dharma—here, by directing sacrificial oblations to Brahmins as proper ritual recipients—so that the act aligns with sacred order and is accepted by the gods.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma, he explains a rule of ritual and giving: when havis is duly given to Brahmins, the gods are said to receive it, affirming the link between correct religious practice and divine acceptance.