Shloka 3

Devanagari script

अथ त्वमसि कल्याणि देवतातिथिपूजने । पूर्वमुक्तेन विधिना युक्ता युक्तेन मत्समम्‌,“कल्याणि! मेरे द्वारा बतायी हुई उपयुक्त विधिसे युक्त हो तुम मेरे ही समान देवताओं और अतिथियोंके पूजनमें तत्पर तो रही हो न?

Transliteration

atha tvam asi kalyāṇi devatātithipūjane | pūrvamuktena vidhinā yuktā yuktena matsamam ||

Translation

கல்யாணி! நான் முன்பு கூறிய முறையின்படி ஒழுங்குடன் இருந்து, தேவர்களையும் விருந்தினர்களையும் பூஜித்து உபசரிப்பதில் நீ உண்மையாக ஈடுபட்டிருக்கிறாயா? உரிய நடத்தையால் என் சமநிலைக்கு நீ வந்திருக்கிறாயா?

Word by Word

अथnow/then

त्वम्you

असिare

कल्याणिO auspicious lady

देवताof the deity/deities

अतिथिof the guest

पूजनेin worship

पूर्वby the earlier (previously stated)

उक्तेनsaid/uttered

विधिनाby the method/rite

युक्ताendowed/engaged

युक्तेनby the proper/fit (means)

मत्समम्equal to me

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

kalyāṇī (addressed woman)

devatā (deities)

atithi (guest)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores dharma expressed through disciplined practice: honoring deities and especially guests (atithi-dharma) according to prescribed procedure. Ethical excellence is measured not by status but by consistent right conduct, which can make one 'equal' in merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, in an instructive mode, addresses a woman respectfully as 'kalyāṇī' and checks whether she has been following the earlier-taught rules—specifically, whether she remains diligent in worshiping the gods and properly receiving guests.