Shloka 10

राज्ञोऽभिषेकः, अराजकदोषः, दण्डधारणस्य आवश्यकता

Royal Consecration, the Fault of Kinglessness, and the Necessity of Enforcement

Devanagari script

आह्रिकं पितृयज्ञांश्व भूतयज्ञान्‌ समानुषान्‌ । कुर्वतः पार्थ विपुलान्‌ वन्याश्रमपदं भवेत्‌

Transliteration

āhrikaṃ pitṛyajñāṃś ca bhūtayajñān samānuṣān | kurvataḥ pārtha vipulān vanyāśramapadaṃ bhavet ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：“噢，帕尔塔，凡大量奉行每日必行之仪（如暮晨礼敬等）、祖先祭（pitṛ-yajña）、众生祭（bhūta-yajña）、以及人祭——即款待宾客（atithi-sevā）者，便生起与入林居期（vānaprastha āśrama）所得完全相同的功德果报。”

Word by Word

• {'āhrikam': 'daily obligatory observances (nitya-karman), especially sandhyā rites and routine duties', 'pitṛyajñān': 'rites/sacrifices to the ancestors

• śrāddha and related offerings', 'bhūtayajñān': 'offerings to living beings/creatures

• acts that sustain and protect life (e.g., feeding, non-harm, sharing)', 'samānuṣān (mānuṣa-yajña)': 'human sacrifice in the sense of service to humans—hospitality to guests (atithi-sevā), charity, care', 'kurvataḥ': 'of one who performs/practices', 'pārtha': 'O son of Pṛthā (Arjuna)', 'vipulān': 'abundant, extensive, in great measure', 'vanya-āśrama-padam': 'the status/fruit of the forest-dweller stage (vānaprastha)', 'bhavet': 'comes to be

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Arjuna (Partha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma teaches that steadfast performance of daily duties and the four key social-sacrificial obligations—toward ancestors, living beings, and guests—can yield the same spiritual merit as formally adopting the vānaprastha (forest-dweller) stage. Dharma is measured by sustained practice and generosity, not only by external renunciation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Arjuna on dharma and right conduct after the war. Here he emphasizes household-based disciplines—daily rites, śrāddha, care for beings, and hospitality—presenting them as a powerful path whose fruit equals that of the forest-ascetic life.