Shloka 13

सोमचक्रः, ग्रह-रथाः, ध्रुवबन्धनं, शिशुमारसंनिवेशः, विष्णु-सर्वात्मकता

Moon, Planets, Dhruva-Tethering, Śiśumāra, and Vishnu as All

Devanagari script

निःसृतं तद् अमावास्यां गभस्तिभ्यः सुधामृतम् मासतृप्तिम् अवाप्याग्र्यां पितरः सन्ति निर्वृताः सौम्या बर्हिषदश् चैव अग्निष्वात्ताश् च ते त्रिधा

Transliteration

niḥsṛtaṃ tad amāvāsyāṃ gabhastibhyaḥ sudhāmṛtam māsatṛptim avāpyāgryāṃ pitaraḥ santi nirvṛtāḥ saumyā barhiṣadaś caiva agniṣvāttāś ca te tridhā

Translation

On the new-moon day (Amāvāsyā), that nectar—of the very essence of sudhā and amṛta—issues from the rays. Having gained from it the foremost satisfaction that endures for a month, the Pitṛs abide in serene contentment. The Pitṛs are said to be threefold: the Saumyās, the Barhiṣads, and the Agniṣvāttas.

Word by Word

• निःसृतम्: issued forth/flowed out
• निःसृतम्: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate adjective/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि: + √सृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• तत्: that (nectar)
• तत्: Karta/Karma (Subject/Object as context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• अमावास्याम्: on the new-moon day
• अमावास्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमावास्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• गभस्तिभ्यः: from the rays
• गभस्तिभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गभस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), बहुवचन (plural)

• सुधामृतम्: nectar-ambrosia
• सुधामृतम्: Karta/Karma (Subject/Object as context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• मासतृप्तिम्: monthly satisfaction
• मासतृप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास + तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• अवाप्य: having obtained
• अवाप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अव + √आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having obtained’

• अग्र्याम्: excellent/supreme
• अग्र्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• पितरः: the Pitṛs
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• सन्ति: are
• सन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (plural)

• निर्वृताः: content/satisfied
• निर्वृताः: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate adjective/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + √वृत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• सौम्याः: Soma-related / lunar
• सौम्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण (adjective)

• बर्हिषदः: Barhiṣads (a class of Pitṛs)
• बर्हिषदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बर्हिषद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• अग्निष्वात्ताः: Agniṣvāttas (a class of Pitṛs)
• अग्निष्वात्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि + स्वात्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• त्रिधा: in threefold manner
• त्रिधा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिधा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): प्रकारवाचक (in three ways)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Amāvāsyā outflow of lunar nectar and the threefold classification of Pitṛs

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proper observance aligned with lunar time supports reciprocal harmony between descendants and Pitṛs within the cosmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Honor ancestors through Amāvāsyā śrāddha/tarpaṇa and cultivate gratitude as a living dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Pitṛs, Devas, and humans participate as dependent modes in a single divinely coordinated system.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Amāvāsyā
• Gabhasti (rays/beams)
• Saumyāḥ
• Barhiṣadaḥ
• Agniṣvāttāḥ

FAQs

What is the significance of Amāvāsyā in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that on Amāvāsyā a nectar-like essence flows from the celestial rays, by which the Pitṛs attain a superior satisfaction lasting a month—making the new-moon day especially potent for ancestral rites.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the nourishment of the ancestors (Pitṛs)?

Parāśara describes a cosmically timed nourishment: on Amāvāsyā an ambrosial essence emerges from the rays, and by receiving it the Pitṛs become peaceful and content, indicating a ritual-cosmic linkage between time, offering, and ancestral welfare.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the teaching reflects Vishnu Purana’s vision of a divinely governed ṛta (universal order) where celestial cycles and dharma sustain beings across worlds—ancestors included—under the sovereignty of the Supreme Reality.