Shloka 52

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

Devanagari script

पिपीलिकाः कीटपतंगकाद्या बुभुक्षिताः कर्मनिबन्धबद्धाः प्रयान्तु ते तृप्तिम् इदं मयान्नं तेभ्यो विसृष्टं सुखिनो भवन्तु

Transliteration

pipīlikāḥ kīṭapataṃgakādyā bubhukṣitāḥ karmanibandhabaddhāḥ prayāntu te tṛptim idaṃ mayānnaṃ tebhyo visṛṣṭaṃ sukhino bhavantu

Translation

May the ants, the worms, the insects and moths, and all such creatures—hungry and bound by the fetters of their own karma—attain satisfaction. This food, set forth by me, is released for them; may they be content and dwell in well-being.

Word by Word

• पिपीलिकाः: ants
• पिपीलिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिपीलिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• कीटपतंगकाद्याः: insects, moths etc.
• कीटपतंगकाद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीट + पतंगक + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (X-आद्याः = 'etc. beginning with X')

• बुभुक्षिताः: hungry
• बुभुक्षिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → बुभुक्षित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• कर्मनिबन्धबद्धाः: bound by the fetter of karma
• कर्मनिबन्धबद्धाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म + निबन्ध + बद्ध (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP/क्त) 'बद्ध'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कर्म-निबन्धेन बद्धाः)

• प्रयान्तु: let them go/attain
• प्रयान्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

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

• तृप्तिम्: satisfaction, fullness
• तृप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अन्नम्)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तेभ्यः: to them
• तेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• विसृष्टम्: sent forth, offered
• विसृष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृज् (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग) → विसृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अन्नम्)

• सुखिनः: happy
• सुखिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (ते)

• भवन्तु: let them be
• भवन्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating an exemplar of dharmic conduct within creation, in dialogue to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Duties and merits connected with feeding beings (anna-dāna) and the householder’s role in supporting life

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even the smallest creatures, bound by their karma, deserve compassionate sustenance through one’s offering of food.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Set aside a small portion of food regularly for animals/insects or support feeding programs, doing so with non-violence and reverence for life.

Vishishtadvaita: Seeing all jīvas as dependent (śeṣa) upon the Lord encourages service (kainkarya) to beings as His body (śarīra).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

FAQs

What is the significance of feeding even small creatures in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents compassion as a dharmic extension of cosmic order: even the smallest beings, bound by karma, are included in rightful sustenance and well-being.

How does Sage Parāśara explain karma in relation to living beings here?

He describes beings as “bound by the fetters of karma,” implying that hunger and embodied limitation arise within karmic causality, yet merit compassionate response rather than neglect.

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

Though not named in the verse, the ethic reflects Vishnu’s sustaining sovereignty: preservation (sthiti) is mirrored in human conduct through offerings that support all life within creation.