Shloka 9

Ajagara-vrata (The ‘Python’ Discipline): Prahrāda Questions a Wandering Sage

Devanagari script

कार्तिक्यामद्य भोक्तार: सहस्र मे द्विजोत्तमा: । तत्रायमपि भोक्ता च देयमस्मै च मे धनम्‌

Transliteration

kārtikyām adya bhoktāraḥ sahasraṃ me dvijottamāḥ | tatrāyam api bhoktā ca deyam asmai ca me dhanam ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—‘آج کارتکی کے پُنّیہ اَنوُشٹھان پر میرے یہاں ہزار برہمنِ برتر کو بھوجن کرایا جائے گا۔ وہاں اس شخص کو بھی بھوجن کرنے والوں میں شامل کیا جائے؛ اور میرے مال میں سے اسے دان بھی دیا جائے۔’

Word by Word

कार्तिक्याम्on (the day of) Kārtikī / in Kārtika (time)

अद्यtoday

भोक्तारःeaters/guests (those who will eat)

सहस्रम्a thousand

मेof me / my

द्विजोत्तमाःbest of the twice-born (excellent Brahmins)

तत्रthere

अयम्this (person)

अपिalso/even

भोक्ताan eater/guest

चand

देयम्to be given / should be given

अस्मैto him

चand

मेmy / of me

धनम्wealth

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

dvijottamāḥ (eminent brāhmaṇas)

Kārtikī (religious observance/day)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic generosity: on an auspicious occasion, one should not only perform formal charity (feeding worthy recipients) but also include an additional person compassionately and provide him a material gift from one’s own resources.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, speaking as an authority on dharma, declares that he is hosting a large ceremonial feeding of brāhmaṇas on the Kārtikī day and instructs that a particular person present should also be seated among the diners and be given wealth as a donation.