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Shloka 14

प्रतिग्रहभेदः — The Distinction between Giving and Accepting

Vṛṣādarbhī–Saptarṣi Dialogue

दक्षिणाग्रास्ततो दर्भा विष्टरेषु निवेशिता: । पादयोश्वैव विप्राणां ये त्वन्नमुपभुञज्जते

dakṣiṇāgrās tato darbhā viṣṭareṣu niveśitāḥ | pādayoś caiva viprāṇāṃ ye tv annam upabhuñjate ||

پھر اس نے نشستوں پر دَربھا (کُش) گھاس اس طرح بچھائی کہ اس کے سرے جنوب کی طرف ہوں؛ اور جو برہمن کھانا کھانے والے تھے، ان کے قدموں کے نیچے بھی وہی جنوب رخ کُش رکھ دی۔

दक्षिणाग्राःhaving tips to the south (south-pointed)
दक्षिणाग्राः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदक्षिणाग्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
ततःthen; thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
दर्भाःdarbha-grass blades
दर्भाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदर्भ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
विष्टरेषुon the seats/spreads (grass-seats)
विष्टरेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootविष्टार
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
निवेशिताःplaced; arranged
निवेशिताः:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-विश्
FormPast (PPP), Plural, Masculine, Nominative
पादयोःof (their) two feet
पादयोः:
TypeNoun
Rootपाद
FormMasculine, Genitive, Dual
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एवindeed; just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
विप्राणाम्of the brahmins
विप्राणाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
येwho
ये:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तुbut; indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
अन्नम्food
अन्नम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअन्न
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उपभुञ्जतेeat; partake (of)
उपभुञ्जते:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-भुज्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
B
brāhmaṇas (viprāḥ)
D
darbha/kuśa grass
V
viṣṭara (seats/mats)
F
food (anna)

Educational Q&A

The verse emphasizes ritual propriety and mindful purity in ancestral offerings: even details like arranging south-pointed kuśa on seats and under the diners’ feet are part of dharma when honoring the departed through brāhmaṇa-feeding.

Bhishma describes the procedure of a śrāddha-like rite: the performer prepares the seating with darbha grass oriented southward and places it beneath the feet of the brāhmaṇas who will eat, marking the act as a carefully observed ancestral offering.