Mahabharata — Svargarohana Parva, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

पारणं प्रथम प्राप्प द्विजान्‌ कामैश्न तर्पयन्‌ । अग्निष्टोमस्य यज्ञस्य फलं वै लभते नर:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | pāraṇaṁ prathamaṁ prāpya dvijān kāmaiś ca tarpayan | agniṣṭomasya yajñasya phalaṁ vai labhate naraḥ ||

Translation

毗舍婆耶那说道：当来到第一次破斋之时（pāraṇa），若有人以所愿之物施与两生者（婆罗门）使其满足，便确实获得阿耆尼湿多摩（Agniṣṭoma）大祭的功德。

Word by Word

• पारणम्: the breaking of fast (parana)
• पारणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्राप्य: having obtained/reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (आप्नुयात्)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• द्विजान्: brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कामैः: with desired objects/gifts
• कामैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तर्पयन्: satisfying (gratifying)
• तर्पयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तृप् (तर्पयति)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अग्निष्टोमस्य: of the Agniṣṭoma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निष्टोम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• यज्ञस्य: of the sacrifice
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• लभते: obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• dvija (brāhmaṇas)
• Agniṣṭoma-yajña
• pāraṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Generosity at the proper sacred time—especially honoring brāhmaṇas with what they need or desire—produces great religious merit, equated here with the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the reward attached to a specific observance: at the first pāraṇa (breaking of a fast/vow), one who gratifies dvijas through gifts is said to gain the sacrificial merit of Agniṣṭoma and thereby an auspicious heavenly outcome.