Shloka 12

भरतचरितम्—मृगासक्ति-हेतुकः समाधिभङ्गः, जातिस्मरत्वं, रहूगण-जाḍभरत-संवादः

Devanagari script

जगाम सो ऽभिषेकार्थम् एकदा तु महानदीम् सस्नौ तत्र तदा चक्रे स्नानस्यानन्तरक्रियाः

Transliteration

jagāma so 'bhiṣekārtham ekadā tu mahānadīm sasnau tatra tadā cakre snānasyānantarakriyāḥ

Translation

Once, seeking the consecratory rite (abhiṣeka), he went to the great river. There he bathed, and then duly performed the rites that follow after bathing.

Word by Word

• jagāma: went
• jagāma: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• abhiṣeka-artham: for (ritual) bathing/consecration
• abhiṣeka-artham: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhiṣeka (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; चतुर्थी-अर्थे द्वितीया/प्रयोजनार्थक (for the purpose of consecration/bath)

• ekadā: once
• ekadā: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ekadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: once)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• mahā-nadīm: the great river
• mahā-nadīm: Karma (Goal/Object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (great river)

• sasnau: bathed
• sasnau: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: snā (स्ना धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• cakre: performed
• cakre: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• snānasya: of bathing
• snānasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• anantara-kriyāḥ: the subsequent rites
• anantara-kriyāḥ: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anantara (प्रातिपदिक) + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (snānānantarāḥ kriyāḥ = rites following the bath)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Ritual purity: abhiṣeka, bathing in a great river, and post-bath observances

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sacred undertakings are to be preceded by purification—snāna and the prescribed post-bath rites—so action proceeds in harmony with dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Before major vows or spiritual commitments, establish a ‘purification routine’: cleanliness, mental settling, and a brief prayerful sankalpa.

Vishishtadvaita: External śauca supports inner orientation to the Lord; embodied discipline is meaningful as the jīva’s God-related practice, not dismissed as illusory.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Great river (mahānadī)

FAQs

What is the significance of bathing in a great river before abhiṣeka in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals śauca (ritual purity) and readiness for consecration, framing kingship as a dharmic office rather than mere power.

How does Sage Parāśara present dharma through small ritual details like post-bath rites?

By highlighting “after-bath” observances, Parāśara shows that rightful action begins with inner and outer discipline, which supports the larger moral order upheld by Vishnu.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the text implies that sovereignty is legitimate only when aligned with dharma—an order ultimately sustained by Vishnu as the Supreme ground of cosmic governance.