Shloka 169
Adhyāya 284: Tapas as a Corrective to Household Attachment
Parāśara’s Instruction
जो रातमें राहुके मुखमें प्रवेश करके स्वयं चन्द्रमाके अमृतका पान करते हैं; तथा स्वयं ही राहु बनकर सूर्यपर ग्रहण लगाते हैं, वे परमात्मा मेरी रक्षा करें ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | ye rātrau rāhoḥ mukhe praviśya svayaṃ candramasaḥ amṛtaṃ pibanti, tathā svayam eva rāhur bhūtvā sūrye grahaṇaṃ kurvanti, te paramātmānaḥ māṃ rakṣantu || ye cānupatitā garbhā yathā bhāgān upāsate | namas tebhyaḥ svadhā svāhā prāpnuvantu mudantu te ||
Sabi ni Bhīṣma: “Nawa’y ingatan at kapangyarihang kataas-taasan ang magtanggol sa akin—yaong sa gabi’y pumapasok sa bibig ni Rāhu at sila mismo ang umiinom ng nektar ng buwan; at yaong nagiging si Rāhu upang magpataw ng eklipse sa araw. Pagpupugay sa mga diyos at sa mga ninunong pitṛ na isinilang matapos si Brahmā, na lumalapit sa kani-kanilang bahagi sa handog na sakripisyo na tila mga batang humihingi ng nakatakdang bahagi. Nawa’y matanggap nila ang nararapat na alay sa pamamagitan ng mga panawagang ‘svāhā’ at ‘svadhā,’ at maging lugod at masaya.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames cosmic phenomena (eclipses) and sacrificial order as expressions of a higher divine governance: one seeks protection by honoring the powers that regulate the cosmos and by giving each class of recipients—gods and ancestors—their proper ritual due through ‘svāhā’ and ‘svadhā.’
Bhīṣma utters a protective invocation: he calls upon the supreme powers associated with Rahu’s eclipsing of the moon and sun, then offers salutations to the deities and ancestors who receive their allotted portions in sacrifice, praying that they accept the offerings and be pleased.