Shloka 116

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

Devanagari script

स्नातः स्रग्गन्धधृक् प्रीतः नाध्मातः क्षुधितो ऽपि वा सकामः सानुरागश् च व्यवायं पुरुषो व्रजेत्

Transliteration

snātaḥ sraggandhadhṛk prītaḥ nādhmātaḥ kṣudhito 'pi vā sakāmaḥ sānurāgaś ca vyavāyaṃ puruṣo vrajet

Translation

A man should approach conjugal union only when he is bathed, adorned with garlands and fragrance, and inwardly cheerful—neither bloated nor hungry—coming with desire tempered by affection.

Word by Word

• स्नातः: having bathed
• स्नातः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नात (कृदन्त; √स्ना धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (PPP) विशेषणम् (masculine nominative singular; ‘bathed’)

• स्रग्गन्धधृक्: wearing garland and perfume
• स्रग्गन्धधृक्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्रज् + गन्ध + धृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (स्रक् च गन्धः च) + धृक् (धारयति) (masculine nominative singular; ‘wearing garland and fragrance’)

• प्रीतः: pleased
• प्रीतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत (कृदन्त; √प्री धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (PPP) विशेषणम् (masculine nominative singular; ‘pleased’)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक निपात (negative particle)

• आध्मातः: bloated
• आध्मातः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आध्मात (कृदन्त; √ध्मा धातु + आ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (PPP) विशेषणम् (masculine nominative singular; ‘bloated’)

• क्षुधितः: hungry
• क्षुधितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधित (कृदन्त; √क्षुध् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (PPP) विशेषणम् (masculine nominative singular; ‘hungry’)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (particle: ‘even/also’)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: ‘or’)

• सकामः: desirous
• सकामः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/सह-समासार्थ (कामेन सह/कामवान्) (masculine nominative singular)

• सानुरागः: with affection
• सानुरागः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अनुराग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सह-समासार्थ (अनुरागेण सह/अनुरागवान्) (masculine nominative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction: ‘and’)

• व्यवायम्: sexual intercourse
• व्यवायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यवाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (masculine accusative singular)

• पुरुषः: a man
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (masculine nominative singular)

• व्रजेत्: should proceed to/engage in
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद (should go/engage)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Proper disposition and bodily condition for conjugal union (cleanliness, moderation, affection)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Desire is to be expressed with cleanliness, moderation, and affectionate consent, so that kāma remains harmonized with dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Approach intimacy with care: attend to hygiene, health, emotional readiness, and affectionate mutuality rather than compulsion.

Vishishtadvaita: Regulated enjoyment (kāma under dharma) supports a sattvic mind fit for bhakti, aligning personal life with the Lord’s sustaining order.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of purity and mental disposition in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse frames conjugal union as a dharmic act requiring cleanliness, pleasantness, and emotional harmony—showing that desire is to be governed by order and restraint rather than impulse.

How does Sage Parāśara explain proper household conduct in this context?

Parāśara presents practical norms for the householder: physical readiness (bathed, not hungry or bloated) and ethical readiness (affectionate, cheerful), integrating everyday life into disciplined dharma.

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

In the Vishnu Purana, dharma functions as Vishnu’s sustaining order; regulating personal conduct—including sexuality—reflects living in harmony with the Supreme’s cosmic governance.