Shloka 50

Aditi’s Lament and Kaśyapa’s Instruction of the Payo-vrata (Milk Vow) to Please Keśava

Devanagari script

त्रयोदश्यामथो विष्णो: स्‍नपनं पञ्चकैर्विभो: । कारयेच्छास्त्रद‍ृष्टेन विधिना विधिकोविदै: ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

trayodaśyām atho viṣṇoḥ snapanaṁ pañcakair vibhoḥ kārayec chāstra-dṛṣṭena vidhinā vidhi-kovidaiḥ

Translation

Danach soll man am dreizehnten Mondtag (Trayodaśī) mit Hilfe von Brāhmaṇas, die die Śāstras kennen, den Herrn Viṣṇu nach der vorgeschriebenen Schriftregel mit fünf Substanzen (Milch, Joghurt, Ghee, Zucker und Honig) baden.

Synonyms

• trayodaśyām: on the thirteenth (tithi)
• trayodaśyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trayodaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचनम्; (on the thirteenth lunar day)

• atho: then
• atho: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अव्यय-प्रकारः—अनन्तर/समुच्चय (then/and)

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचनम्

• snapanam: bathing (ritual bath)
• snapanam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snapana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• pañcakaiḥ: with the five (items)
• pañcakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचनम्; (with the five [substances])

• vibhoḥ: of the Lord
• vibhoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचनम्; संबोधनार्थेऽपि प्रयोगः (O Lord)

• kārayet: should have (it) performed
• kārayet: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + ṇic (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; णिजन्त (causative) — ‘cause to be done’

• śāstra-dṛṣṭena: by the scripturally prescribed
• śāstra-dṛṣṭena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, √dṛś)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः (śāstre dṛṣṭa = prescribed in scripture)

• vidhinā: by the procedure
• vidhinā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• vidhi-kovidaiḥ: by experts in the rites
• vidhi-kovidaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument/Agent-assist)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक) + kovida (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः (vidhau kovidāḥ = experts in ritual)

Characters & Entities

• Lord Viṣṇu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about bathing (abhisheka) Lord Vishnu during a vrata?

This verse instructs that on the thirteenth day one should arrange Lord Viṣṇu’s bathing ceremony using five sacred substances, performed strictly according to scriptural rules by qualified experts.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī emphasize doing the ritual according to śāstra?

Because devotional rites in the Bhagavatam are meant to be performed with proper injunctions and purity; expert guidance ensures the worship aligns with scripture and remains spiritually effective.

How can I apply this teaching in modern devotional life?

Worship with devotion and also with authenticity—follow reliable Vaiṣṇava guidance, use clean and appropriate offerings, and keep practices aligned with śāstra rather than improvising carelessly.