Shloka 65

Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu

Gṛhastha-Vrata

Devanagari script

अनया हनन्‍्द्यमानो*हं भार्यया तव सत्तम | तैस्तैरतिथिसत्कारैर््रेद्य॒न्नेषा वृता मया

Transliteration

anayā hanadyamāno ’haṃ bhāryayā tava sattama | tais tair atithi-satkārair īpsitaṃ meṣā vṛtā mayā ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“噢，人中至善者，虽你之妻再三催促于我，她却以如法礼敬宾客之道，誓言满足我的愿望。因此，噢，德行之最者，正因那些待客之举，我选择了她。”

Word by Word

• अनया: by this (woman)
• अनया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (स्त्री.)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• हन्: strike/kill (imperative sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: Present (imperative/optative not marked here), 2nd, Singular

• द्यमानः: being (done/treated) (uncertain reading)
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्य (धातु) / दा? (uncertain; as in द्यमान)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भार्यया: by (your) wife
• भार्यया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• तव: of you/your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• सत्तम: O best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तैः: by those
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• तैः: by those (various)
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अतिथि-सत्कारैः: by acts of honoring guests
• अतिथि-सत्कारैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथिसत्कार
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• रेद्यन्: (uncertain; likely 'fulfilling/pleasing')
• Type: Verb
• Root: रेद्/रिध् (uncertain; corrupt reading)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एषा: this (woman)
• एषा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (स्त्री.)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वृता: chosen
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु) / वृत (ppp)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• साधु-शिरोमणे: O crest-jewel among the virtuous
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधुशिरोमणि
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• the addressed man (sattama; unnamed in this verse)
• the wife (bhāryā)
• guests (atithi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights atithi-dharma (the duty of honoring guests) as a powerful ethical commitment: sincere hospitality and the keeping of one’s pledged word can determine social and moral outcomes, earning acceptance and trust.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma explains that, although he was being urged by the woman (described as the listener’s wife), she promised to satisfy his wish through acts of guest-honoring; on the strength of that pledge and her hospitality, he accepted/selected her.