Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच गार्हस्थ्यं धर्ममखिलं प्रब्रूहि भरतर्षभ ऋद्धिमाप्नोति किं कृत्वा मनुष्य इह पार्थिव
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said O foremost one of Bharata's race, do you describe to me all the deities of the household mode and tell me all that a man should do in order to acquire prosperity in this world.
भीष्म उवाच अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि पुरावृत्तं जनाधिप वासुदेवस्य संवादं पृथिव्याश्चैव भारत
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said O Bharata, I shall, in this connection, recite to you the old story of Vasudeva and the goddess Earth.
संस्तूय पृथिवीं देवीं वासुदेवः प्रतापवान् पप्रच्छ भरतश्रेष्ठ यदेतत्पृच्छसेऽद्य माम्
M. N. Dutt: The powerful Vasudeva, O excellent prince of Bharata's race, after singing the praises of the goddess Earth, accosted her about this very subject that you have required about.
वासुदेव उवाच गार्हस्थ्यं धर्ममाश्रित्य मया वा मद्विधेन वा किमवश्यं धरे कार्यं किं वा कृत्वा सुखी भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: Vasudeva said Having adopted the domestic mode of life, what acts should I, or one like me, do and how are such acts to yield success. man
पृथिव्युवाच ऋषयः पितरो देवा मनुष्याश्चैव माधव इज्याश्चैवार्चनीयाश्च यथा चैवं निबोध मे
M. N. Dutt: The Goddess Earth said O Madhava, the Rishis, the celestials the departed Manes, and men should be adored, and sacrifices should be performed by a householder.
सदा यज्ञेन देवांश्च आतिथ्येन च मानवान् छन्दतश्च यथानित्यमर्हान्युञ्जीत नित्यशः तेन ह्यृषिगणाः प्रीता भवन्ति मधुसूदन
M. N. Dutt: Do you also learn this from me that the celestials are always pleased with sacrifices, and are pleased with hospitality. Therefore, the householder should please them with such objects as they desire.
नित्यमग्निं परिचरेदभुक्त्वा बलिकर्म च कुर्यात्तथैव देवा वै प्रीयन्ते मधुसूदन
AI Translation: One should always attend to the fire, and perform the bali ritual without eating. In the same way, the gods are pleased, O Slayer of Madhu.
कुर्यादहरहः श्राद्धमन्नाद्येनोदकेन वा पयोमूलफलैर्वापि पितॄणां प्रीतिमाहरन्
AI Translation: Every day he should perform the śrāddha with food, water, or milk, roots, and fruits, bringing joy to the ancestors.
सिद्धान्नाद्वैश्वदेवं वै कुर्यादग्नौ यथाविधि अग्नीषोमं वैश्वदेवं धान्वन्तर्यमनन्तरम्
AI Translation: One should perform the Vaiśvadeva rite in the fire, according to the prescribed procedure, with cooked rice. The Agniṣoma, Vaiśvadeva, and Dhānvāntara rites follow in succession.
प्रजानां पतये चैव पृथग्घोमो विधीयते तथैव चानुपूर्व्येण बलिकर्म प्रयोजयेत्
AI Translation: For the Lord of creatures, a separate Homa is prescribed. And in the same sequence, one should perform the ritual of offering oblations.
दक्षिणायां यमायेह प्रतीच्यां वरुणाय च सोमाय चाप्युदीच्यां वै वास्तुमध्ये द्विजातये
AI Translation: To the south for Yama, to the west for Varuna, and to the north for Soma, and in the center of the house for the twice-born.
धन्वन्तरेः प्रागुदीच्यां प्राच्यां शक्राय माधव मनोर्वै इति च प्राहुर्बलिं द्वारे गृहस्य वै मरुद्भ्यो देवताभ्यश्च बलिमन्तर्गृहे हरेत्
M. N. Dutt: He should offer food to men at the entrance of his house. These, O Madhava, are known as the Bali offerings. The Bali should be offered to the Maruts and the deities in the interior of one's house.
तथैव विश्वेदेवेभ्यो बलिमाकाशतो हरेत् निशाचरेभ्यो भूतेभ्यो बलिं नक्तं तथा हरेत्
M. N. Dutt: To the Vishvedevas it should be offered in open air, and to the Rakshasas and evil spirits the offerings should be made at night.
एवं कृत्वा बलिं सम्यग्दद्याद्भिक्षां द्विजातये अलाभे ब्राह्मणस्याग्नावग्रमुत्क्षिप्य निक्षिपेत्
M. N. Dutt: After making these offerings, the householder should make offerings to Brahmanas, and if no Brahmana be present, the first portion of the food should be thrown into the fire.
यदा श्राद्धं पितृभ्यश्च दातुमिच्छेत मानवः तदा पश्चात्प्रकुर्वीत निवृत्ते श्राद्धकर्मणि
M. N. Dutt: When a man wishes to offers Shraddha to his ancestors, he should, when the Shraddha ceremony is donc, please his ancestors and then make the Bali offerings duly.
पितॄन्संतर्पयित्वा तु बलिं कुर्याद्विधानतः वैश्वदेवं ततः कुर्यात्पश्चाद्ब्राह्मणवाचनम्
M. N. Dutt: He should then make offerings to the Vishwedevas. He should next invite Brahmanas, and then properly entertain guests arrived at his house, with food.
ततोऽन्नेनावशेषेण भोजयेदतिथीनपि अर्चापूर्वं महाराज ततः प्रीणाति मानुषान्
M. N. Dutt: By this act, O prince, are guests pleased. He who does not live in the house long, or, having come, goes away after a short time, is called guest.
अनित्यं हि स्थितो यस्मात्तस्मादतिथिरुच्यते
AI Translation: He is called Atithi because he is not permanent.
आचार्यस्य पितुश्चैव सख्युराप्तस्य चातिथेः इदमस्ति गृहे मह्यमिति नित्यं निवेदयेत्
M. N. Dutt: To his preceptor, to his father, to his friend and to a guest, a householder should say, I have got this in my house to offer you today! And he should offer it accordingly every day.
ते यद्वदेयुस्तत्कुर्यादिति धर्मो विधीयते गृहस्थः पुरुषः कृष्ण शिष्टाशी च सदा भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: The house holder should do whatever they would order him to do. This is the established custom. The householder, O Krishna should take his food the last of all, after having offered food to all of them.
राजर्त्विजं स्नातकं च गुरुं श्वशुरमेव च अर्चयेन्मधुपर्केण परिसंवत्सरोषितान्
M. N. Dutt: The householder should adore with offerings of honey, etc., his king his priest, his preceptor, and his fatherinlaw, as also Snataka Brahmanas even if they were to live in his house for whole year.
श्वभ्यश्च श्वपचेभ्यश्च वयोभ्यश्चावपेद्भुवि वैश्वदेवं हि नामैतत्सायंप्रातर्विधीयते
M. N. Dutt: In the morning as well as in the evening, food should be offered on the ground to dogs, the cooks for dogs and birds. This is called the Vaishvedeva offerings.
एतांस्तु धर्मान्गार्हस्थान्यः कुर्यादनसूयकः स इहर्द्धिं परां प्राप्य प्रेत्य नाके महीयते
M. N. Dutt: The householder, who performs these ceremonies with mind shorn of passion, obtains the blessings of the Rishis in this world, and after death acquires the heavenly regions.
भीष्म उवाच इति भूमेर्वचः श्रुत्वा वासुदेवः प्रतापवान् तथा चकार सततं त्वमप्येवं समाचर
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Having heard all this from the goddess Earth, the powerful Vasudeva acted accordingly. Do you also act in the same way.
एवं गृहस्थधर्मं त्वं चेतयानो नराधिप इहलोके यशः प्राप्य प्रेत्य स्वर्गमवाप्स्यसि
M. N. Dutt: By performing these duties of a householder. O king, you shall acquire fame in this world and Heaven after death?