Shloka 101

Adhyāya 284: Tapas as a Corrective to Household Attachment

Parāśara’s Instruction

Devanagari script

गर्भमांससूगालाय तारकाय तराय च । नमो यज्ञाय यजिने हुताय प्रहुताय च

Transliteration

garbhamāṃsaśṛgālāya tārakāya tarāya ca | namo yajñāya yajine hutāya prahutāya ca ||

Translation

毗湿摩以至诚礼敬至上实相：众生系于形躯，为求身命之续，追逐彼者不可遏止，犹如豺狼贪恋肉食；而彼亦是度脱者，亦是渡越之道。彼即祭祀（yajña），亦即行祭者；彼即所献之供（huta），亦即受供之圣火（prahuta）。

Word by Word

• गर्भमांससूगालाय: to the jackal (likened as) greedy for fetal flesh
• गर्भमांससूगालाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भमांससूगाल
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• तारकाय: to the savior / deliverer
• तारकाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• तराय: to the crosser / one who crosses over
• तराय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• नमः: salutation
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• यज्ञाय: to the sacrifice
• यज्ञाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• यजिने: to the sacrificer / worshipper
• यजिने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• हुताय: to the offered (oblation)
• हुताय: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हुत
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• प्रहुताय: to the well-offered / specially offered (oblation)
• प्रहुताय: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहुत
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Yajna (sacrifice)
• Yajin/Yajamana (sacrificer)
• Huta (oblation)
• Prahuta (well-offered/ritual fire context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches the all-pervasiveness of the Supreme: the same Reality is the worship, the worshipper, the offering, and the fire—so ritual and moral action find their ultimate ground in the One, and liberation is attained by recognizing that One as both the goal (tāraka) and the means (tara).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva’s instruction setting, Bhishma is speaking and offers a stuti (praise/salutation), identifying the divine principle through striking metaphors and through yajña-symbolism, as part of his broader teaching on dharma and the highest good.