Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

इदं चापि जपेद् अम्बु दद्याद् आत्मेच्छया नृप उपकाराय भूतानां कृतदेवादितर्पणः

Transliteration

idaṃ cāpi japed ambu dadyād ātmecchayā nṛpa upakārāya bhūtānāṃ kṛtadevāditarpaṇaḥ

Translation

O king, let him also recite this sacred formula and offer water according to his means and intention; having duly performed the tarpaṇa libations that satisfy the devas and the rest, for the welfare of all beings.

Word by Word

• इदम्: this (thing/act)
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अर्थः ‘also/even’

• जपेत्: should recite/mutter
• जपेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अम्बु: water
• अम्बु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आत्मेच्छया: by one’s own will
• आत्मेच्छया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः इच्छा = one’s own wish)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• उपकाराय: for the benefit
• उपकाराय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upakāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कृतदेवादितर्पणः: one who has performed offerings to gods etc.
• कृतदेवादितर्पणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: कृतं देव-आदि-तर्पणं येन/यः (one who has performed propitiation of gods etc.)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya; framed here as counsel for a king/householder)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Rites of libation/recitation and water-offering for the welfare of beings (tarpana-related observance)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Self-chosen, capacity-appropriate ritual giving (water and japa) performed for the welfare of all beings becomes a dharmic act when preceded by proper tarpana to devas and others.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Perform daily offerings/charity within one’s means with an explicit intention of loka-saṅgraha (universal welfare).

Vishishtadvaita: Devotional action offered in right intention treats all beings as belonging to the Lord’s order, aligning personal duty with service to the whole.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• King (nṛpa)
• Devas
• Bhūtas (living beings)

FAQs

What is the significance of offering water (ambu) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse treats water-offering as a simple, accessible act of dharma—performed according to one’s capacity—intended for the welfare of all beings and as part of the broader duty of tarpaṇa (ritual satisfaction).

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of japa and tarpaṇa for rulers and householders?

Parāśara presents them as stabilizing duties within rāja-dharma and gṛhastha-ācāra: recitation (japa) and offerings (including water) are to be done regularly and sincerely, aligning personal conduct with the maintenance of social and cosmic order.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the Vishnu Purana frames dharma as participation in the Lord’s sustaining order: acts like japa, dāna, and tarpaṇa become ways of supporting the world that Vishnu upholds as the Supreme Reality.