Shloka 69

Tīrtha-yātrā: Phalaśruti and Sacred Geography from Lohitya to Prayāga

Pulastya’s Instruction

Devanagari script

देवान्‌ पितृन्‌ समुद्दिश्य तस्य धर्मफलं महत्‌ | एकस्मिन्‌ भोजिते विप्रे कोटिर्भवति भोजिता

Transliteration

devān pitṝn samuddiśya tasya dharmaphalaṁ mahat | ekasmin bhojite vipre koṭir bhavati bhojitā ||

Translation

Kapag ang handog na pagkain ay iniaalay na may layuning parangalan ang mga diyos at ang mga ninuno, nagiging napakalaki ng bunga ng dharma nito. Kung kahit isang brāhmaṇa lamang ang mapakain sa ganitong diwa, para na ring napakain ang isang krore (sampung milyon)—ganyan kadakila ang dharmikong bunga ng gawaing iyon.

Word by Word

देवान्the gods

पितॄन्the ancestors (manes)

समुद्दिश्यhaving dedicated/aimed (the act) to; intending

तस्यof that; its

धर्मफलम्the merit-fruit (result) of the rite/duty

महत्great

एकस्मिन्in/when (there is) one

भोजितेwhen (someone) has been fed; upon feeding

विप्रेin/with regard to a brahmin

कोटिःa crore; ten million

भवतिbecomes; is

भोजिताfed (one); entertained with food

Speaker

घुलस्त्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

द

देव (Devas)

प

पितृ (Pitṛs/ancestors)

व

विप्र (Brāhmaṇa)

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the intention of dedicating an act to the gods and ancestors greatly magnifies its dharmic merit; feeding even one worthy brāhmaṇa with such dedication is counted as feeding an immense multitude.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker (here attributed as ‘Ghulasṭya’) explains the religious-ethical value of feeding a brāhmaṇa as an offering connected to devas and pitṛs, emphasizing how a single act of hospitality can yield vast merit.