Shloka 44
Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa
Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results
तदेवायतन चक्कु: पुण्यं सर्वक्रियास्वपि । ततः प्रभृति चाप्यग्नि: शमीगर्भेषु दृश्यते
tad evāyatanaṃ cakṣuḥ puṇyaṃ sarvakriyāsv api | tataḥ prabhṛti cāpy agniḥ śamīgarbheṣu dṛśyate ||
Sinabi ni Bhishma: “Ang śamī ring iyon ang naging banal na tahanan at nakikitang tanda para sa lahat ng ritwal. Mula noon, si Agni ay nakikitang nananahan sa ‘sinapupunan’ (guwang/puso) ng punong śamī.” Inilalarawan ng talatang ito ang śamī bilang dalisay na pook ng apoy, inuugat ang paghahandog sa pinahihintulutang pinagmumulan ayon sa dharma, at binibigyang-diin ang kadalisayan at wastong paraan sa gawaing panrelihiyon.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual action should be grounded in a pure, sanctioned source: śamī is established as a holy locus for Agni, highlighting dharmic propriety, purity, and the right means in sacred rites.
Bhishma recounts that the gods, having perceived Agni within the śamī, designated śamī as Agni’s sacred seat for all ritual acts; thereafter Agni is said to be visible within the śamī’s interior.