Shloka 12

Nāndīmukha-śrāddha (Prosperity Rites), Preta-kriyā, Aśauca, Ekoddiṣṭa, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Framework

Devanagari script

दिनानि तानि चेच्छातः कर्तव्यं विप्रभोजनम् प्रेतस् तृप्तिं तथा याति बन्धुवर्गेण भुञ्जता

Transliteration

dināni tāni cecchātaḥ kartavyaṃ viprabhojanam pretas tṛptiṃ tathā yāti bandhuvargeṇa bhuñjatā

Translation

An jenen vorgeschriebenen Tagen soll man bewusst eine Speisung der Brāhmaṇas veranstalten; denn auch der Preta erlangt Befriedigung, wenn die Verwandten gemäß dem Śrāddha-Ritus essen.

Word by Word

• दिनानि: days
• दिनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म) in sense “those days” (with तानि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• तानि: those
• तानि: Visheshana (Determiner/विशेषण) of दिनानि
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; शर्त-निर्देशक (conditional particle “if”)

• इच्छातः: as desired / at will
• इच्छातः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ/निमित्ते (ablative of cause: “from/according to desire”)

• कर्तव्यम्: should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligatory action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: कृदन्तः (तव्यत्-प्रत्ययः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विधेय-भावः (to be done)

• विप्रभोजनम्: feeding of Brahmins
• विप्रभोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) of कर्तव्यम्
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (“of Brahmins” + “feeding/meal”)

• प्रेतः: the departed spirit
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तृप्तिम्: satisfaction
• तृप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) of याति (attains)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकार/उपमान-बोधक (adverb: “thus/in that way”)

• याति: attains/goes
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• बन्धुवर्गेण: by the group of relatives
• बन्धुवर्गेण: Karana (Instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु + वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (“of relatives” + “group”)

• भुञ्जता: while (they are) eating
• भुञ्जता: Kriya-visheshana (Concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → भुञ्जत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: कृदन्तः (शतृ-प्रत्ययः, वर्तमान-कृदन्त/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-भावः (while eating)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Prescribed-day śrāddha procedures: feeding brāhmaṇas and the role of family participation in satisfying the preta

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Feeding brāhmaṇas on the ordained days and proper participation of the kin transforms the rite into a dharmic act that brings contentment to the departed.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Channel grief into sattvic giving—support learned/virtuous persons and share food with mindfulness, dedicating the act for the departed’s welfare.

Vishishtadvaita: Service to brāhmaṇas (as bearers of Veda) is treated as sacred service within the Lord’s order; the fruit is mediated through dharma rather than private will.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas (vipra)
• Preta (departed spirit)
• Bandhuvarga (kinsmen/relatives)

FAQs

What is the significance of feeding Brāhmaṇas in the Vishnu Purana’s śrāddha context?

This verse presents vipra-bhojana (feeding Brāhmaṇas) as a key śrāddha act whose proper performance contributes to the departed being satisfied.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of relatives in śrāddha rites?

Parāśara indicates that the departed attains tṛpti when the bandhuvarga partake correctly—implying a shared family responsibility in completing the rite.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Even in ritual instruction, the Vishnu Purana frames dharma as part of cosmic order ultimately upheld by Vishnu; śrāddha becomes a disciplined duty aligned with that sustaining sovereignty.