Shloka 36

Devanagari script

ये बान्धवाबान्धवा वा ये ऽन्यजन्मनि बान्धवाः ते तृप्तिम् अखिला यान्तु ये चास्मत्तोयकाङ्क्षिणः

Transliteration

ye bāndhavābāndhavā vā ye 'nyajanmani bāndhavāḥ te tṛptim akhilā yāntu ye cāsmattoyakāṅkṣiṇaḥ

Translation

May all—whether kin to me or not, and even those who were my kin in other births—attain complete satisfaction; and may all who long for water from me be fully content through this offering.

Word by Word

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• बान्धवाः: kinsmen
• बान्धवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāndhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अबान्धवाः: non-kinsmen
• अबान्धवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abāndhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक (negated)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• अन्यजन्मनि: in another birth
• अन्यजन्मनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (अन्यस्मिन् जन्मनि)

• बान्धवाः: kinsmen
• बान्धवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāndhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तृप्तिम्: satisfaction
• तृप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अखिलाः: all
• अखिलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• यान्तु: may (they) attain/go
• यान्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

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

• अस्मत्: of me / my
• अस्मत्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive) एकवचन-रूपेण समासपूर्वपद (मम/of me)

• तोयकाङ्क्षिणः: desiring (my) water
• तोयकाङ्क्षिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक) + काङ्क्षिन् (काङ्क्ष्-धातोः इन्-प्रत्ययान्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी/द्वितीया-तत्पुरुषः (तोयं काङ्क्षन्ति = desiring water)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (instructing Maitreya on Śrāddha and tarpaṇa formulas)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The inclusive scope of the offering—known/unknown kin and relations across births; satisfying all who desire water.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: reconciling and expansive

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True dharmic offering is non-exclusive: it embraces friends and strangers, present kin and past-life relations, and any being in need.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Broaden circles of care—serve beyond family/tribe; dedicate merits of good deeds to all beings without discrimination.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirmation of real relationality across time (karma and rebirth) while extending compassion universally aligns with the view of many selves united in dependence on the Lord.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ancestors (Pitṛs)
• Departed relatives (bāndhava)

FAQs

What is the significance of offering water (tarpaṇa) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames tarpaṇa as a universal act of satiation—meant not only for known ancestors but for any departed beings connected to the offerer, even across past births.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the scope of Śrāddha beneficiaries?

He expands the intent beyond immediate lineage: the offering is dedicated to relatives and unknown relations alike, including those bound by previous incarnations, emphasizing inclusive dharmic responsibility.

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

Within the Vishnu Purana’s dharma framework, such rites uphold ṛta (universal order) under Vishnu’s sovereignty, aligning personal duty with the cosmic maintenance governed by the Supreme.