Shloka 18

Āvāhāryaka-Śrāddha: Qualifications of Recipients, Paṅkti-Pāvana, and Exclusions

Devanagari script

तदलाभे गृहस्थं तु मुमुक्षुं सङ्गवर्जितम् / सर्वालाभे साधकं वा गृहस्थमपि भोजयेत्

Transliteration

tadalābhe gṛhasthaṃ tu mumukṣuṃ saṅgavarjitam / sarvālābhe sādhakaṃ vā gṛhasthamapi bhojayet

Translation

If such a recipient is not available, one should feed a householder (gṛhastha) who seeks mokṣa and is free from worldly attachment. If even that cannot be obtained, then, when ideal recipients are wholly unavailable, one may feed even a householder who is a sādhaka, a spiritual practitioner.

Word by Word

• तत्-अलाभे: when that is unavailable
• तत्-अलाभे: अधिकरण
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक) + अलाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः—तस्य अलाभे (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘in the non-availability of that (one)’

• गृहस्थम्: a householder
• गृहस्थम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• मुमुक्षुम्: one desiring liberation
• मुमुक्षुम्: विशेषण/समनाधिकरण (of गृहस्थम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुच् (धातु) → मुमुक्षु (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; मोक्षेच्छुकः

• सङ्ग-वर्जितम्: free from attachment
• सङ्ग-वर्जितम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (कृदन्त, क्त from वर्ज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—सङ्गेन वर्जितः/सङ्गं वर्जितः (tatpuruṣa sense: free from attachment)

• सर्व-अलाभे: when none are available
• सर्व-अलाभे: अधिकरण
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अलाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः—सर्वस्य अलाभे (genitive-tatpuruṣa) ‘when none are available’

• साधकम्: a practitioner (spiritual aspirant)
• साधकम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (or)

• गृहस्थम्: a householder
• गृहस्थम्: कर्म (re-stated object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक निपात (also/even)

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → भोजय (णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should feed’

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma (recipient-priority in anna-dāna)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma (Vishnu)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: it prioritizes feeding a mumukṣu—one intent on mokṣa—implying that liberation (realization of the Self) is the highest human aim, and social duties like dāna should support that pursuit.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is named, but the verse highlights sādhana and mumukṣutva (the drive for liberation) and recommends supporting such practitioners through anna-dāna—an ethical support system that undergirds Yoga-shāstra disciplines.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

It does not mention Shiva-Vishnu explicitly; its synthesis is seen in the shared dharmic ethic: devotion, detachment, and support of sādhakas are upheld as universally valid across Shaiva-Vaishnava practice in the Kurma Purana.