Shloka 49
Adhyāya 152 — Bhīṣma’s Authorization for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Return to the Capital (नगरप्रवेशानुज्ञा)
अग्निकार्यपरा नित्यं सदा पुष्पबलिप्रदा । देवतातिथि भृत्यानां निर्वाप्प पतिना सह
agnikāryaparā nityaṃ sadā puṣpabalipradā | devatātithi-bhṛtyānāṃ nirvāpaṃ patinā saha ||
Wika ni Maheshvara: “Ang babaeng laging nakatuon sa mga banal na gawain sa apoy, palagiang nag-aalay ng mga bulaklak at handog na ritwal, at—kasama ng kaniyang asawa—inuuna munang bigyan ng nararapat na bahagi ng pagkain ang mga diyos, mga panauhin, at yaong mga umaasa sa tahanan, ay sumasagisag sa disiplinadong kaayusan ng isang matuwid na sambahayan. Ang gayong babae, sa bunga ng satī-dharma (tapat na kagandahang-asal ng maybahay), ay napupuspos ng kabutihang-loob at gantimpala.”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches gṛhastha-dharma as an ethical discipline: a virtuous wife (with her husband) sustains the household’s sacred order by maintaining fire-rites, making offerings, honoring guests, and feeding dependents before eating herself—thereby accruing the merit associated with satī-dharma.
In Anuśāsana Parva’s didactic setting, Maheśvara describes the qualities and daily conduct of an exemplary householder woman, emphasizing ritual observance and social responsibility (deities, guests, dependents) as marks of righteous domestic life.