Shloka 113

गृहस्थस्य सदाचारः: शौच, तर্পण, वैश्वदेव, अतिथिधर्म, भोजन-विधि, संध्योपासन, ऋतु-धर्मः

Devanagari script

ऋताव् उपगमः शस्तः स्वपत्न्याम् अवनीपते पुन्नामर्क्षे शुभे काले ज्येष्ठयुग्मासु रात्रिषु

Transliteration

ṛtāv upagamaḥ śastaḥ svapatnyām avanīpate punnāmarkṣe śubhe kāle jyeṣṭhayugmāsu rātriṣu

Translation

O king, union with one’s lawful wife is commended when she is in season—especially at an auspicious time, under the Puṇṇā (Puṣya) lunar asterism, and on the foremost even-numbered nights.

Word by Word

• ऋतौ: in the season (of menstruation/heat)
• ऋतौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (masculine locative singular)

• उपगमः: approach, union
• उपगमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपगम (प्रातिपदिक; √गम् धातु + उपसर्ग उप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (masculine nominative singular)

• शस्तः: commended
• शस्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त (कृदन्त; √शंस् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (PPP), विशेषणम् (masculine nominative singular; ‘commended’)

• स्वपत्न्याम्: with/in one’s own wife
• स्वपत्न्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य पत्नी) (feminine locative singular)

• अवनीपते: O lord of the earth
• अवनीपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवनीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अवनेः पतिः) (masculine vocative singular)

• पुन्नामर्क्षे: when the (lunar) asterism is ‘Punnāma’
• पुन्नामर्क्षे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुन्नाम + ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुन्नाम्नः ऋक्षे) (neuter locative singular)

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (locative singular agreeing with kāle)

• काले: at the time
• काले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (masculine locative singular)

• ज्येष्ठयुग्मासु: on the senior/greater paired (nights)
• ज्येष्ठयुग्मासु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ + युग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (ज्येष्ठानि युग्मानि) विशेषणम् (feminine locative plural; qualifying rātriṣu)

• रात्रिषु: in the nights
• रात्रिषु: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (feminine locative plural)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya; addressing a kingly archetype as 'avanīpati')

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Householder dharma: proper timing and auspicious conditions for marital union

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Conjugal life is to be aligned with ṛtu (proper season) and auspicious time, so that desire is integrated into dharma and household harmony.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat intimacy as a responsible, mutually respectful part of life—guided by consent, health, and mindful timing rather than impulse.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma channels human desires into the Lord’s cosmic order, allowing household life to become supportive of devotion and righteous living.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parashara
• Maitreya
• King (avanīpati)
• Puṣya (nakṣatra)

FAQs

What is the significance of auspicious timing (śubha-kāla) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames household conduct as aligned to cosmic order—right timing and conditions are praised so family life supports dharma rather than impulse.

How does Sage Parāśara explain proper conduct for householders here?

He recommends union only with one’s lawful wife and emphasizes ṛtu (the proper season) and auspicious indicators like nakṣatra, presenting discipline as part of social and ritual order.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the teaching assumes a Vishnu-ordered cosmos: dharma in private life mirrors the Supreme’s sustaining governance (sthiti) of the world.