Shloka 19

एकान्तिधर्म-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into Ekāntin Dharma) / The Origin and Practice of Single-Pointed Nārāyaṇa-Centered Discipline

Devanagari script

सात्वतं विधिमास्थाय प्राक्‌ सूर्यमुखनि:सृतम्‌ । पूजयामास देवेशं तच्छेषेण पितामहान्‌

Transliteration

sātvataṁ vidhim āsthāya prāk sūryamukha-niḥsṛtam | pūjayāmāsa deveśaṁ taccheṣeṇa pitāmahān ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: Noi theo nghi lễ Sātvata (Vaiṣṇava) — được truyền rằng thuở đầu phát xuất từ miệng Thần Mặt Trời — ông trước hết thờ phụng Đấng Chúa tể chư thiên, Nārāyaṇa. Rồi lấy phần còn lại sau lễ thờ ấy mà kính tế Pitṛ (tổ tiên); lấy phần còn lại sau khi cúng Pitṛ mà lần lượt khoản đãi các Bà-la-môn và những người nương tựa khác, phân phát đúng thứ tự. Chỉ sau khi đã ban cho mọi người, ông mới dùng phần cơm còn lại. Ông chuyên tâm nơi chân thật và không làm hại bất kỳ sinh linh nào.

Word by Word

• सात्वतम्: Sātvata (Vaiṣṇava) (rule/ordinance) (as object)
• सात्वतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सात्वत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विधिम्: rule, prescribed rite
• विधिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थाय: having resorted to, adopting
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस्था (आ + स्था)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund), Non-finite

• प्राक्: formerly, earlier; in the east
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक्

• सूर्य: of the Sun
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound), Singular

• मुख: in/from the mouth (as locus in compound)
• मुख: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख
• Form: Neuter, Locative (in compound), Singular

• निःसृतम्: issued forth, emerged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःसृ (निस् + सृ)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पूजयामास: worshipped, paid homage
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज्
• Form: लिट् (periphrastic perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• देवेशम्: Lord of the gods
• देवेशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तत्: by/with that
• तत्: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (in compound), Singular

• शेषेण: with the remainder, with what is left over
• शेषेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• पितामहान्: the grandfathers/ancestors
• पितामहान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Sūrya
• Deveśa (Nārāyaṇa)
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Brāhmaṇas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches an ethical order of living: begin with devotion to Nārāyaṇa, then honor ancestors and Brāhmaṇas, support dependents, and only then partake oneself—while remaining truthful and non-violent. It presents dharma as disciplined worship, responsible distribution, and restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes the conduct of an exemplary person who follows the Sātvata (Vaiṣṇava) ritual system. He worships the Lord first, then uses the remnants of offerings in a graded sequence—Pitṛs, Brāhmaṇas, and others—before eating what remains, embodying satya and ahiṁsā.