Shloka 9

नहुषोपाख्यानम्—दीपदान-धूप-बलीकर्म-प्रशंसा

Nahūṣa Episode and the Commendation of Lamp-Gifting and Household Offerings

Devanagari script

स्‍्नानेनाद्धिश्न यत्‌ कर्म क्रियते वै विपश्चिता । नमस्कारप्रयुक्तेन तेन प्रीयन्ति देवता:

Transliteration

snānenāddhiśna yat karma kriyate vai vipaścitā | namaskāra-prayuktena tena prīyanti devatāḥ |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“智者沐浴之后所行的一切仪式，若伴以恭敬礼拜，便能取悦诸神。诸如献水、行诸相应之法等，若依仪轨而行、以敬心奉持，便为家中的祭祀带来和合与吉祥。”

Word by Word

• {'snānena': 'by bathing

• after bathing (instrumental of snāna)', 'yat': 'whatever

• that which', 'karma': 'ritual act

• rite', 'kriyate': 'is performed

• is done', 'vai': 'indeed

• certainly (emphatic particle)', 'vipaścitā': 'by the wise

• by one of discernment', 'namaskāra': 'salutation

• homage', 'prayuktena': 'accompanied/connected with

• employed with (instrumental of prayukta)', 'tena': 'by that

• thereby', 'prīyanti': 'are pleased

• become satisfied', 'devatāḥ': 'the gods

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Devatāḥ (gods/divine beings)
• Snāna (ritual bath)
• Namaskāra (salutation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ritual actions gain their full religious efficacy when grounded in purity (bathing) and performed with reverence (namaskāra); such respectful observance is said to please the gods.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he explains that a wise person’s post-bath rites—done with salutations—are pleasing to the divine, emphasizing proper attitude and procedure in daily worship.