Shloka 118

सूर्यरथ-कालचक्र-आयनविभागः, संध्योपासनम्, देवयान-पितृयानम्, विष्णुपद-गङ्गावतरणम्

Devanagari script

यस्याम् इष्ट्वा महायज्ञैर् यज्ञेशं पुरुषोत्तमम् द्विजभूपाः पराम् ऋद्धिम् अवापुर् दिवि चेह च

Transliteration

yasyām iṣṭvā mahāyajñair yajñeśaṃ puruṣottamam dvijabhūpāḥ parām ṛddhim avāpur divi ceha ca

Translation

In that sacred place, having worshiped Viṣṇu—the Puruṣottama, Lord of sacrifice—through great yajñas, the twice-born kings attained the highest prosperity, both here on earth and in heaven.

Word by Word

• यस्यम्: in which (river/place)
• यस्यम्: अधिकरण (Locative/स्थान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• इष्ट्वा: having worshipped
• इष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive) — ‘having worshipped/sacrificed’

• महायज्ञैः: with great sacrifices
• महायज्ञैः: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् यज्ञः)

• यज्ञेशम्: the Lord of sacrifices
• यज्ञेशम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यज्ञानाम् ईशः)

• पुरुषोत्तमम्: the Supreme Person
• पुरुषोत्तमम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयभावः — ‘the सर्वोत्तम पुरुष’ (epithet)

• द्विजभूपाः: brahmin-kings
• द्विजभूपाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (द्विजाः एव भूपाः)

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with ऋद्धिम्)

• ऋद्धिम्: prosperity/success
• ऋद्धिम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अवापुः: obtained
• अवापुः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु) उपसर्गः अव-
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: अधिकरण (Locative/स्थान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (नित्यस्त्रीलिङ्ग)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• इह: here
• इह: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘here’)

• च: also/and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Efficacy of performing great yajñas at the sacred place and worship of Yajñeśa

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When yajña is directed to Puruṣottama as Yajñeśa, it yields both worldly welfare and post-mortem heavenly fruition.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Offer work and ritual as God-centered service (īśvara-arpana), not mere transaction, aligning prosperity with dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Viṣṇu as the inner recipient and lord of all sacrificial action (yajña-śeṣin), integrating ritual efficacy with divine sovereignty.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Yajñeśa
• Dvija-kings (initiated Kṣatriyas)

FAQs

What is the significance of worshiping Vishnu as Yajñeśa in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse identifies Vishnu as the inner Lord and recipient of yajña; sacrifices become spiritually effective because they are offered to Puruṣottama, the Supreme Person.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the results of mahāyajñas for kings?

Parāśara presents yajña as both a dharmic royal duty and a means of blessing: it yields prosperity in this life (iha) and elevated reward in heaven (divi).

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is portrayed not merely as a deity among others but as Puruṣottama—the supreme reality—who governs sacrificial order and dispenses fruits across both worldly and transcendent domains.