Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 10

पात्रलक्षण-परिक्षा (Pātra-Lakṣaṇa Parīkṣā) — Criteria for a Worthy Recipient

Devanagari script

येन येनैव हविषा ब्राह्म॒णांस्तर्पयेन्नर:

Transliteration

yena yenaiva haviṣā brāhmaṇāṁs tarpayen naraḥ

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“无论人以何种供献（havis）奉上，只要凭此供献使婆罗门得以满足，便是依达摩而行。”

Word by Word

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• हविषा: with an oblation
• हविषा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तर्पयेत्: should satisfy/please
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Brāhmaṇas
• havis (oblation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes that dharmic merit in offerings lies in properly gratifying worthy recipients—especially learned Brāhmaṇas—through whatever legitimate oblation one has, highlighting respectful support of sacred learning and ritual duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous conduct; here he states a principle about offerings: whichever oblation is used, the key is that it should duly satisfy the Brāhmaṇas, aligning ritual action with ethical intention.