Shloka 19
तेन वृद्धिं परां नीतः सलिलेनौषधीगणः साधकः फलपाकान्तः प्रजानां द्विज जायते
tena vṛddhiṃ parāṃ nītaḥ salilenauṣadhīgaṇaḥ sādhakaḥ phalapākāntaḥ prajānāṃ dvija jāyate
By that life-giving water, the multitude of herbs and plants is led to supreme increase; ripening into fruit at the proper time, it becomes the true accomplisher of the peoples’ welfare—so that it is rightly spoken of as ‘twice-born’.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: How rain enables crops to ripen and serve the welfare of people; etymological praise (‘dvija’)
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: didactic
Concept: Life-giving water brings herbs to full increase and timely fruiting, thereby accomplishing the welfare of people—hence it is praised with a sacral epithet.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Practice gratitude and responsibility toward food systems—support sustainable agriculture and mindful consumption as part of dharma.
Vishishtadvaita: Human welfare and natural processes form a coordinated, meaningful whole within a real cosmos under divine order, aligning material prosperity with dharmic purpose.
Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi
FAQs
Water is presented as the enabling power that brings herbs and plants to full growth and fruit, making it a direct agent of prosperity and survival for all beings.
He frames vegetation’s timely fruiting as a regulated, purposeful process—nature functions as an ordered system that accomplishes the welfare of prajā, not as random occurrence.
It is used metaphorically: through water’s agency, plants attain a renewed, higher state—culminating in fruit—so their life is seen as having a ‘second birth’ that benefits the world.