Shloka 20

Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa

Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results

Devanagari script

ततस्त्रैलेक्यमृषयो व्यचिन्वन्त सुरै: सह । कांक्षन्तो दर्शन बल्लेः सर्वे तद्तमानसा:

Transliteration

tatast trailekyam ṛṣayo vyacinvanta suraiḥ saha | kāṅkṣanto darśanaṃ balleḥ sarve tad-tamānasāḥ ||

Translation

Pagkaraan, ang mga rishi, kasama ang mga diyos, ay nagsimulang maghanap kay Agni sa tatlong daigdig. Ang kanilang mga isip ay lubos na nakatuon sa layuning iyon, sapagkat silang lahat ay nananabik na masilayan si Agni, ang Diyos ng Apoy.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैलोक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• व्यचिन्वन्त: they searched, they sought out
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चि
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural

• सुरैः: with the gods
• सुरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• काङ्क्षन्तः: desiring, wishing
• Type: Verb
• Root: काङ्क्ष्
• Form: Present active participle (Śatṛ), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दर्शनम्: sight, vision
• दर्शनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बलेः: of Bali
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तत्: that (very thing/goal)
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्: that
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मानसाः: with minds (fixed), mentally intent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Rishis (sages)
• Devas (gods)
• Trai-lokya (the three worlds)
• Agni (Fire-god)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Single-minded intent (tad-tamānasāḥ) in a righteous quest is presented as a virtue: sages and gods act in concert, directing mind and effort toward a sacred goal—seeking divine presence (darśana) rather than worldly gain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes how the sages, accompanied by the gods, begin a search across the three worlds, driven by the desire to obtain the vision of Agni.