Shloka 14

Devanagari script

न यष्टव्यं न होतव्यं न दातव्यं कथंचन भोक्ता यज्ञस्य कस् त्व् अन्यो ह्य् अहं यज्ञपतिः प्रभुः

Transliteration

na yaṣṭavyaṃ na hotavyaṃ na dātavyaṃ kathaṃcana bhoktā yajñasya kas tv anyo hy ahaṃ yajñapatiḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

“No sacrifice is to be performed, no oblation is to be poured into the fire, and no gift is to be given in any way—for who else could be the enjoyer of sacrifice? I alone am the Lord of sacrifice, the sovereign Master.”

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: N/A
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध particle)

• यष्टव्यम्: should be sacrificed
• यष्टव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/कर्तव्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्तः, विधेय-कर्तव्यता/gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be sacrificed/should be worshipped (by sacrifice)’

• न: not
• न: N/A
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध)

• होतव्यम्: should be offered
• होतव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/कर्तव्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्तः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be offered (into fire)’

• न: not
• न: N/A
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध)

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/कर्तव्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्तः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be given’

• कथंचन: in any way at all
• कथंचन: N/A
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकारवाचक/निषेध-बलवर्धक), ‘in any way/at all’

• भोक्ता: enjoyer/consumer
• भोक्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तृच्-प्रत्ययान्तः कर्तरि), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘enjoyer/eater’

• यज्ञस्य: of the sacrifice
• यज्ञस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• तु: but
• तु: N/A
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विरोध/अन्योन्य-समुच्चयार्थक particle)

• अन्यः: another (person)
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: N/A
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (हेतौ/निश्चये particle)

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

• यज्ञपतिः: lord of the sacrifice
• यज्ञपतिः: Visheshya (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (यज्ञस्य पतिः)

• प्रभुः: master
• प्रभुः: Visheshya (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (as the Supreme Lord identified with Yajña)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Quotation of Vena’s proclamation that disrupts sacrificial religion and social dharma.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing; exposes adharma through direct speech

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: To claim ‘I alone am yajñapati’ is egoistic usurpation; in Vaiṣṇava theology the true enjoyer and lord of sacrifice is Nārāyaṇa, and yajña/dāna are means of sustaining dharma and devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Guard against spiritualized ego; dedicate actions and offerings to the Lord, and support dharmic giving and worship as social-spiritual responsibility.

Vishishtadvaita: The verse’s error highlights the correct Viśiṣṭādvaita stance: the finite self is a śeṣa (dependent mode) of the Supreme; all worship and enjoyership belong to the Lord, not the jīva.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Key Kings: Vena

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Yajna (Sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being called Yajñapati in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse asserts that the ultimate recipient and controller of all sacrificial acts is Vishnu; ritual has meaning because it culminates in Him as the Lord of yajña.

How does the Vishnu Purana frame the relationship between ritual action (yajña) and the Supreme Lord?

It presents ritual not as an independent power but as dependent on the Supreme—Vishnu is the enjoyer and master of sacrifice, giving ritual its final purpose and fruit.

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

Vishnu is proclaimed as the sovereign Supreme Reality: the giver, the offering, and the enjoyer ultimately converge in Him, reinforcing a theistic Vedanta emphasis on divine supremacy.