Shloka 17

Ajagara-vrata (The ‘Python’ Discipline): Prahrāda Questions a Wandering Sage

Devanagari script

तस्य नित्यं सदा5<षाढ्यां माघ्यां च बहवो द्विजा: । ईप्सितं भोजनवरं लभन्ते सत्कृतं सदा,उसके यहाँ आषाढ़ और माघकी पूर्णिमाको सदा बहुत-से ब्राह्मण सत्कारपूर्वक अपनी इच्छाके अनुसार उत्तम भोजन पाते थे

Transliteration

tasya nityaṁ sadā āṣāḍhyāṁ māghyāṁ ca bahavo dvijāḥ | īpsitaṁ bhojana-varaṁ labhante satkṛtaṁ sadā ||

Translation

ณเรือนของเขา ในวันเพ็ญเดือนอาษาฒะและมาฆะ พราหมณ์จำนวนมากย่อมได้รับการต้อนรับด้วยความเคารพเสมอ และได้อาหารอันประณีตตามความปรารถนาของตน

Word by Word

तस्यof him/at his (place)

नित्यम्always, regularly

सदाalways

आषाढ्याम्on (the full-moon day) in Āṣāḍha

माघ्याम्on (the full-moon day) in Māgha

चand

बहवःmany

द्विजाःtwice-born (Brahmins)

ईप्सितम्desired, wished-for

भोजनवरम्excellent food

लभन्तेthey obtain

सत्कृतम्honored, respectfully offered

सदाalways

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Brahmins (dvijāḥ)

Āṣāḍha (month)

Māgha (month)

food/meal (bhojana)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is shown through consistent, respectful generosity: providing worthy guests—here, Brahmins—with honour (satkāra) and meeting their needs as they wish, especially on auspicious calendrical occasions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a person’s established practice of hosting many Brahmins on the full-moon days of Āṣāḍha and Māgha, giving them excellent food with due respect, illustrating the person’s reputation for regular charitable hospitality.