Shloka 14

मैत्रेयप्रश्नः—पुराणसंहिताप्रतिज्ञा च

Maitreya’s Questions and Parāśara’s Resolve to Teach

Devanagari script

ततो ऽहं रक्षसां सत्रं विनाशाय समारभम् भस्मीकृताश् च शतशस् तस्मिन् सत्रे निशाचराः

Transliteration

tato 'haṃ rakṣasāṃ satraṃ vināśāya samārabham bhasmīkṛtāś ca śataśas tasmin satre niśācarāḥ

Translation

Thereupon I undertook a sacrificial rite aimed at the destruction of the rākṣasas; and in that sacrifice, hundreds upon hundreds of those night-roaming beings were reduced to ashes.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तरम् (then)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन

• रक्षसाम्: of the demons
• रक्षसाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• सत्रम्: sacrificial session/rite
• सत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन

• विनाशाय: for destruction
• विनाशाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ-चतुर्थी (for the purpose of destruction)

• समारभम्: I began/undertook
• समारभम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-रभ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• भस्मी-कृताः: were reduced to ashes
• भस्मी-कृताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भस्मी (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √कृ)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle) बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1); भस्मी- इति अव्ययीभावपूर्वपदः (reduced to ashes)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• शतशः: by the hundreds
• शतशः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/प्रकारवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (in hundreds; by the hundred)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), एकवचन, पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• सत्रे: in the rite
• सत्रे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• निशाचराः: night-roamers (demons)
• निशाचराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), बहुवचन; निशायां चरन्ति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Description of the retaliatory rite: a satra to destroy rākṣasas and its lethal results

Teaching: Historical

Quality: graphic, consequential, warning-laden

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual power (yajña) directed by uncontrolled anger becomes a force of mass destruction, demanding restraint and right intention.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Before acting, examine motive; do not weaponize spiritual practices for revenge; cultivate kṣamā and discernment.

Vishishtadvaita: Implicitly contrasts ego-driven action with dharma aligned to the Lord’s order; prepares ground for later counsel redirecting action toward sattva and devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Rākṣasas
• Niśācaras

FAQs

What is the significance of the rākṣasa-destruction sacrifice in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents Vedic sacrifice as an instrument for restoring dharma—removing hostile forces that threaten sages, society, and the stability of sacred order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the use of ritual power in this context?

Parāśara narrates that he deliberately commenced a satra with the intent of vināśa (destruction) of the rākṣasas, showing ritual as purposeful, ethically framed action against adharma.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the episode aligns with the Purāṇa’s worldview: the defeat of adharma and protection of the righteous ultimately occurs within Vishnu’s sovereign cosmic order.