Shloka 1

Cāturhotra as Inner Sacrifice (Yoga-Yajña) and Nārāyaṇa Recitation

Devanagari script

ऑपन--माज बक। डे: पजञ्चविशो< ध्याय: चातुहोंम यज्ञका वर्णन ब्राह्मण उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्‌ । चातुरहोत्रविधानस्य विधानमिह यादृशम्‌

Transliteration

brāhmaṇa uvāca | atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam | cāturhotravidhānasya vidhānam iha yādṛśam ||

Translation

婆罗门说道：“就在此事上，人们也常引一则古老的史传为证。今我将在此阐明：由四位祭司主持之祭（四火祭仪）的编制与法则，当如何安立。”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'brāhmaṇaḥ', 'definition': 'a Brāhmaṇa

• here, the speaker (a learned priestly figure)'}, {'term': 'uvāca', 'definition': 'said

• spoke'}, {'term': 'atra api', 'definition': 'here also

• in this matter as well'}, {'term': 'udāharanti', 'definition': 'they cite

• they adduce as an example'}, {'term': 'imam', 'definition': 'this'}, {'term': 'itihāsam', 'definition': 'traditional account

• ancient narrative/precedent (itihāsa)'}, {'term': 'purātanam', 'definition': 'ancient

• of old'}, {'term': 'cāturhotra', 'definition': 'the system involving four hotṛ-priests

• the four-priest arrangement in Vedic sacrifice'}, {'term': 'vidhānasya', 'definition': 'of the procedure/arrangement

• of the prescribed system'}, {'term': 'vidhānam', 'definition': 'rule

• proper method'}, {'term': 'iha', 'definition': 'here

• in this context'}, {'term': 'yādṛśam', 'definition': 'as it is

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa (speaker)
• itihāsa (ancient precedent/narrative)
• cāturhotra (four-priest sacrificial system)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That correct ritual action (yajña) should follow established vidhi, and that such norms are validated by remembered precedent (purātana itihāsa), not by personal whim.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brāhmaṇa begins an explanation by introducing an ancient illustrative story, stating that he will describe the proper procedure for a sacrifice conducted with four officiating priests (cāturhotra).