Shloka 216

Adhyāya 166: Kṛtaghna-doṣa (कृतघ्नदोषः) — the fault of ingratitude and the limits of expiation

Devanagari script

परिवेष्टाग्निहोत्रस्य भवेन्नासंस्कृतस्तथा । न कन्या, न युवती, न मन्त्र न जाननेवाला, न मूर्ख और न संस्कारहीन पुरुष ही अग्निमें हवन करनेका अधिकारी है

Transliteration

pariveṣṭāgnihotrasya bhavennāsaṁskṛtastathā |

Translation

毗湿摩曰：行阿耆尼火供（Agnihotra）及其随行诸仪者，未受入门之礼、未加陶冶者，亦不相应。凡不具应有资格者——如女童、未嫁之少女、不知真言者、愚昧之人，或未具规定净化礼（saṃskāra）之男子——皆不当向圣火投献供物。此教诲昭示：吠陀祭仪乃伦理之修持，须经训练、清净与胜任，非一时冲动，亦非为炫示于人。

Word by Word

• परिवेष्ट: of one who is wrapped/covered (i.e., not properly prepared/qualified)
• परिवेष्ट: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिवेष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वेष्ट्)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अग्निहोत्रस्य: of the Agnihotra (fire-offering rite)
• अग्निहोत्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निहोत्र
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• भवेत्: would be / should be
• भवेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• असंस्कृतः: unrefined / uninitiated / without proper rites
• असंस्कृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असंस्कृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: thus / likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Agnihotra
• sacred fire (Agni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ritual action (like Agnihotra) is governed by dharma: it requires proper preparation—initiation/saṁskāra, knowledge of mantras, and maturity/competence. Without these, performing offerings is considered improper and spiritually/ritually invalid.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira about right conduct. Here he specifies qualifications for Vedic fire-rituals, warning that those lacking training or refinement should not perform havan/Agnihotra.