Shloka 9

Śrāddha-dvija-parīkṣā: Paṅkti-dūṣa and Paṅkti-pāvana (श्राद्धे द्विजपरीक्षा—पङ्क्तिदूष-पङ्क्तिपावन)

Devanagari script

पितृनर्च्य प्रतिपदि प्राप्तुयात्‌ सुगृहे स्त्रियः । अभिरूपप्रजायिन्यो दर्शनीया बहुप्रजा:

Transliteration

pitṝn arcya pratipadi prāptuyāt su-gṛhe striyaḥ | abhirūpa-prajāyinyo darśanīyā bahu-prajāḥ ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—پرَتیپدا کی تِتھی پر پِتروں کی پوجا کرنے سے آدمی اچھے گھرانے کی ایسی بیوی پاتا ہے جو خوش صورت ہو، نیک اولاد جننے والی ہو، دیدہ زیب ہو اور کثیر اولاد والی ہو۔

Word by Word

पितॄन्the forefathers

अर्च्यhaving worshipped

प्रतिपदिat every step / at each occasion

प्राप्तुयात्should obtain / should attain

सु-गृहेin a good house/home

स्त्रियःwomen

अभिरूप-प्रजायिन्यःbearing handsome offspring

दर्शनीयाःlovely / worth seeing

बहु-प्रजाःhaving many children

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Pitṛs (ancestors)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma links household prosperity and continuity of lineage to two duties: honoring the ancestors through proper rites, and choosing a spouse from a reputable family who can sustain the household and produce offspring—framing marriage as a dharmic responsibility rather than mere personal preference.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on household conduct. Here he recommends regular Pitṛ-worship and counsels on the qualities sought in a wife for a stable, dharmic household and continuation of the family line.