Shloka 8

Devanagari script

यज्ञैर् आप्यायिता देवा वृष्ट्युत्सर्गेण वै प्रजाः आप्याययन्ते धर्मज्ञ यज्ञाः कल्याणहेतवः

Transliteration

yajñair āpyāyitā devā vṛṣṭyutsargeṇa vai prajāḥ āpyāyayante dharmajña yajñāḥ kalyāṇahetavaḥ

Translation

By yajñas the gods are nourished; and by the gods’ release of rain, the beings of the world are sustained. Thus, O knower of dharma, yajñas are the cause of welfare.

Word by Word

• यज्ञैः: by sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• आप्यायिताः: are nourished
• आप्यायिताः: Kriya (Predicate/State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√प्यै/प्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'आप्यायित' = nourished/satisfied

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वृष्टि-उत्सर्गेण: by the release of rain
• वृष्टि-उत्सर्गेण: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; 'वृष्टेः उत्सर्गः'

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/एव-अर्थक (emphatic particle)

• प्रजाः: creatures, people
• प्रजाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• आप्याययन्ते: are nourished, thrive
• आप्याययन्ते: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√प्यै/प्या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• धर्मज्ञ: O knower of dharma
• धर्मज्ञ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'धर्मं जानाति'

• यज्ञाः: sacrifices
• यज्ञाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कल्याणहेतवः: causes of welfare
• कल्याणहेतवः: Kriya (Predicate-Nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्याण (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'कल्याणस्य हेतवः'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How yajña sustains devas and how devas sustain the world through rain

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Yajña establishes a reciprocal economy: humans nourish devas through offerings, devas nourish beings through rain, and thus welfare is sustained.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice ‘yajña’ as responsible giving—ritual, charity, ecological care, and community service—so that prosperity circulates rather than concentrates.

Vishishtadvaita: The world’s interdependence is intelligible as the Lord’s ordered body: mutual service within a divinely governed system.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Prajā (beings/subjects)
• Yajña (sacrifice)
• Rain (Vṛṣṭi)

FAQs

What is the significance of yajña in the Vishnu Purana’s view of cosmic order?

This verse presents yajña as a sustaining link: offerings nourish the devas, and the devas respond by releasing rain, through which all beings thrive—making yajña a practical engine of dharma and welfare.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between devas, rain, and human prosperity?

Parāśara frames prosperity as reciprocal: devas are strengthened by yajña, and they in turn send rain (vṛṣṭyutsarga), which nourishes prajā—showing a dharmic cycle that maintains the world.

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

Though not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana’s framework treats such cosmic reciprocity as operating under Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty—dharma and its fruits function within the order upheld by the Supreme Reality.