Shloka 43

Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa

Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा तं शमीगर्भे वह्लिमालक्ष्य देवता:

Transliteration

ity uktvā taṃ śamīgarbhe vahnīm ālakṣya devatāḥ | sarvakarmabhyaḥ śamīm eva agneḥ pavitra-sthānaṃ niyatya | tataḥ prabhṛti agnidevaḥ śamyāḥ antar dṛśyate sma ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“言毕，诸天见阿耆尼在娑弥树（śamī）之‘胎’中。于是他们敕定：娑弥树本身即为阿耆尼清净而受认可的住处，供一切祭仪所用。自此以后，阿耆尼便在娑弥之中显现。”

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), active, non-finite

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• शमी-गर्भे: in the womb/interior of the śamī (tree)
• शमी-गर्भे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शमीगर्भ
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• वह्निम्: Agni, fire
• वह्निम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• आलक्ष्य: having perceived/seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: लक्ष्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), आ, active, non-finite

• देवताः: the deities
• देवताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता
• Form: feminine, nominative, plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Devatāḥ (the gods)
• Agni (Vahni, Agnideva)
• Śamī tree

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sacred practice is grounded in recognized purity and proper locus: the gods establish the śamī as Agni’s sanctioned abode, implying that ritual efficacy depends on dharmic authorization, purity, and correct tradition rather than mere convenience.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a prior statement, the gods perceive Agni present within the śamī tree and formally designate the śamī as the pure seat of Agni for all rites; consequently Agni is said to be visibly present within the śamī thereafter.