Anushasana Parva Adhyaya 26 Shloka 26 - Mahabharata | Telugu | Vedapath

Vyasa

←Previous VerseNext Verse→

Shloka 26

तीर्थवंशोपदेशः

Tīrtha-vaṃśa Upadeśa: Instruction on the Fruits of Sacred Waters

Devanagari script

अन्निहोत्री च यो विप्रो ग्रामवासी च यो भवेत्‌ | अस्तेनश्वातिथिज्ञश्न स राजन्‌ केतनक्षम:

Transliteration

agnihotrī ca yo vipro grāmavāsī ca yo bhavet | asteno ’śvātithijñaś ca sa rājan ketanakṣamaḥ ||

Translation

రాజా! అగ్నిహోత్రాన్ని నిర్వహించే, తన గ్రామంలోనే నివసించే, దొంగతనం చేయని, అతిథి సత్కారంలో నిపుణుడైన బ్రాహ్మణుడు—శ్రాద్ధమునకు ఆహ్వానించదగినవాడు.

Word by Word

अग्निहोत्रीone who maintains the Agnihotra (sacrificial fire)

चand

यःwho

विप्रःa Brahmin

ग्रामवासीa resident of the village

चand

यःwho

भवेत्may be / should be

अस्तेनःnot a thief / non-stealing

अतिथिज्ञःskilled in (honouring) guests

सःhe

राजन्O king

केतनक्षमःfit/eligible for invitation (lit. capable of being invited/received)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

the King (Yudhishthira, addressed as rājan)

Brahmin (vipra)

Agnihotra (rite/sacred fire)

village (grāma)

guest (atithi)

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?

Bhishma defines practical markers of a trustworthy, dharmic Brahmin—regular Vedic observance (Agnihotra), stable social rootedness, honesty (non-theft), and hospitality—indicating who is worthy to be invited/approached for rites or offerings.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction to the king, he lists qualifying traits for selecting a proper Brahmin recipient/participant, emphasizing ethical character and social responsibility alongside ritual practice.