Shloka 79

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

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणेभ्यः पितृभ्यश् च मुखम् एतत् तु दानजम् दत्तदानस् तु विषुवे कृतकृत्यो ऽभिजायते

Transliteration

brāhmaṇebhyaḥ pitṛbhyaś ca mukham etat tu dānajam dattadānas tu viṣuve kṛtakṛtyo 'bhijāyate

Translation

This is the foremost fruit of giving: offerings made to Brāhmaṇas and to the Fathers (Pitṛs). One who gives at Viṣuva becomes as one whose duty is fulfilled.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: to Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थीविभक्तिः (4th/चतुर्थी), बहुवचनम्

• पितृभ्यः: to the ancestors
• पितृभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थीविभक्तिः (4th/चतुर्थी), बहुवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• मुखम्: the chief means/face
• मुखम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम; मुखम् इति विशेषणम्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• दानजम्: born of giving; arising from charity
• दानजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुषः (दानात् जातम्)

• दत्तदानः: one who has given gifts
• दत्तदानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दत्त (दा-धातोः क्त कृदन्त) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः (दत्तं दानं येन सः)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle)

• विषुवे: at the equinox (viṣuva)
• विषुवे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमीविभक्तिः (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचनम्

• कृतकृत्यः: having accomplished what should be done
• कृतकृत्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ-धातोः क्त कृदन्त) + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (कृतं कृत्यं यस्य)

• अभिजायते: is born/becomes
• अभिजायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + अभि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The foremost fruit of viṣuva-dāna directed to brāhmaṇas and pitṛs

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Gifts given at Viṣuva to brāhmaṇas and pitṛs yield the chief fruit of dāna—completion of one’s obligations (kṛtakṛtyatā).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice gratitude: support teachers and learning, honor ancestors through remembrance and charitable acts, and live with a sense of accountable duty.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is relational in Viśiṣṭādvaita: service to brāhmaṇas/pitṛs is service within the Lord’s body (jagat as His śarīra), not a merely private merit-transaction.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Dasya (servant)

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Pitṛs (Ancestors)
• Viṣuva (Equinox)

FAQs

What is the significance of giving on Viṣuva (the equinox) in the Vishnu Purana?

The verse presents the equinox as a specially potent sacred time when gifts offered to Brāhmaṇas and the Pitṛs yield a ‘foremost’ fruit—bringing the giver to the status of kṛtakṛtya, one who has fulfilled essential obligations.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the best recipients of charity in this context?

Parāśara highlights Brāhmaṇas and the Pitṛs as prime recipients, implying that supporting sacred learning/priestly duty and honoring ancestral continuity together uphold dharma and confer superior merit.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here, even though He is not named?

In the Vishnu Purana’s framework, dharma, sacred time, and the fruits of action operate under Vishnu’s sovereignty as the Supreme Reality sustaining cosmic order; thus ritual giving becomes a way of aligning human conduct with that divine order.