Shloka 15

प्रतिग्रहभेदः — The Distinction between Giving and Accepting

Vṛṣādarbhī–Saptarṣi Dialogue

Devanagari script

कृत्वा च दक्षिणाग्रान्‌ वै दर्भान्‌ स प्रयतः शुचि: । प्रददौ श्रीमत: पिण्डान्‌ नामगोत्रमुदाहरन्‌

Transliteration

kṛtvā ca dakṣiṇāgrān vai darbhān sa prayataḥ śuciḥ | pradadau śrīmataḥ piṇḍān nāmagotram udāharan |

Translation

Bhishma nói: Sau khi sắp đặt cỏ darbha với ngọn quay về phương Nam, Nimi—thanh tịnh và tự chế—đặt chúng làm chỗ ngồi dưới chân các vị Bà-la-môn sẽ thọ thực. Rồi ông cũng đặt cỏ darbha hướng Nam trước mặt mình, và cung kính dâng các viên cơm cúng (piṇḍa), xướng rõ danh và dòng tộc của người con trai hiển quý của ông.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (क्त्वान्त), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाल (absolutive)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• दक्षिणाग्रान्: with tips pointing south
• दक्षिणाग्रान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणाग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• दर्भान्: darbha grass
• दर्भान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रयतः: careful, self-restrained
• प्रयतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रददौ: gave, offered
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• श्रीमतः: of the illustrious (one)
• श्रीमतः: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पिण्डान्: rice-balls (funeral offerings)
• पिण्डान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गोत्रम्: lineage, clan
• गोत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उदाहरन्: uttering, pronouncing
• उदाहरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (परस्मैपदी), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• darbha/kuśa grass
• Brāhmaṇas (those who eat in the rite)
• piṇḍa (funeral offering)
• nāma-gotra (name and lineage of the deceased)
• śrāddha (implied ritual context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes disciplined performance of ancestral rites: ritual purity (śuci), careful preparation (prayata), correct orientation and use of darbha, and explicit naming of the recipient through nāma-gotra—showing that dharma is upheld through attentive, truthful, and respectful action.

What is happening in the narrative?

A performer of śrāddha prepares south-pointed darbha as ritual seats for the Brahmins who will partake of the meal, then offers piṇḍas while reciting the deceased son’s name and lineage, completing the offering with proper formalities.