Shloka 87
Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa
Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results
द्विजवरो! सुवर्ण सम्पूर्ण पवित्र वस्तुओंमें अतिशय पवित्र है; उसे अग्नि और सोमरूप बताया गया है ।। वसिष्ठ उवाच अपि चेदं पुरा राम श्रुत॑ मे ब्रह्म॒दर्शनम् । पितामहस्य यद् वृत्तं ब्रह्मण: परमात्मन:,वसिष्ठजी कहते हैं--परशुराम! परमात्मा पितामह ब्रह्माका जो ब्रह्मदर्शन नामक वृत्तान्त मैंने पूर्वकालमें सुना था, वह तुम्हें बता रहा हूँ, सुनो
Vasiṣṭha uvāca: Dvijavara! suvarṇa-sampūrṇaṃ pavitra-vastūnāṃ madhye ’tiśayaṃ pavitram; tad agni-soma-rūpaṃ proktaṃ. Api cedam purā Rāma śrutaṃ me brahma-darśanam—pitāmahasya yad vṛttaṃ Brahmaṇaḥ paramātmanaḥ; tat te ’haṃ kathayiṣyāmi, śṛṇu.
वसिष्ठ उवाच—द्विजवर! सुवर्णं सम्पूर्णं पवित्रवस्तूनामतिशयेन पवित्रम्; अग्नीषोमात्मकं तदिति वर्ण्यते। अपि चेदं पुरा राम श्रुतं मे ब्रह्मदर्शनम्—पितामहस्य यद्वृत्तं ब्रह्मणः परमात्मनः। तत्ते कथयिष्यामि; शृणु॥
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links material purity to ritual and metaphysical symbolism: pure gold is treated as supremely sacred and is said to embody Agni and Soma, indicating its suitability for sacrificial and dharmic use; it then pivots to a higher teaching—an account of ‘Brahma-darśana’—suggesting that external purity is ultimately oriented toward insight into the Supreme Self.
Vasiṣṭha addresses Rāma (Paraśurāma), first stating a traditional valuation of gold as a sacred substance with Agni–Soma character, and then introduces an ancient story he once heard about Pitāmaha Brahmā and the Supreme Self, announcing that he will now narrate it.