Shloka 65

Devanagari script

अन्नाग्रं च समुद्धृत्य हन्तकारोपकल्पितम् निर्वापभूतं भूपाल श्रोत्रियायोपपादयेत्

Transliteration

annāgraṃ ca samuddhṛtya hantakāropakalpitam nirvāpabhūtaṃ bhūpāla śrotriyāyopapādayet

Translation

O king, having set aside the first portion of the food—nirvāpa prepared according to the rite prescribed for one who has slain, as expiation and pacification—he should present it to a learned śrotriya Brahmin.

Word by Word

• अन्नाग्रम्: the first portion of food; food-offering portion
• अन्नाग्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

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

• समुद्धृत्य: having taken out; having lifted
• समुद्धृत्य: Purvakala/Kriya-viseshana (Prior action modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam-ud-√hṛ (हृ धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) (having taken out/raised up)

• हन्तकारोपकल्पितम्: prepared/arranged by a killer/butcher
• हन्तकारोपकल्पितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hantakāra + upa-kalpita (प्रातिपदिक); upa-√kḷp (कॢप् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) प्रधान, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Past participle-based adjective, Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• निर्वापभूतम्: serving as an offering/oblation (nirvāpa)
• निर्वापभूतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirvāpa + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective)

• भूपाल: O king
• भूपाल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūpāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative, Singular)

• श्रोत्रियाय: to a learned Vedic Brahmin
• श्रोत्रियाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrotriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (Masculine, Dative, Singular)

• उपपादयेत्: should offer; should present
• उपपादयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√pad (पद् धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोगः (Causative optative, 3rd person singular, Parasmaipada: 'should present/offer')

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya, framed as guidance for kings)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Ritual expiation and the priority of offering the first portion to a śrotriya as pacification

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The first portion of food, prepared with expiatory intent, should be set aside and offered to a learned śrotriya, functioning as nirvāpa—pacification and purification of fault.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: When aware of harm done (intentional or not), begin with restitution and a purifying act of giving to the learned/virtuous or to appropriate causes before personal enjoyment.

Vishishtadvaita: Karmic fault is addressed through dharmic offering that reorients agency toward Bhagavan’s order, not mere self-absolution.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• King (Bhūpāla)
• Śrotriya (Veda-learned Brahmin)

FAQs

What is the significance of offering the first portion of food (annāgra) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse treats the first share of food as a ritually potent portion that, when given to a qualified śrotriya, functions as nirvāpa—an appeasing, expiatory offering that restores dharmic balance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain expiation (prāyaścitta) for a ruler in this context?

Parāśara presents a concrete rite: food prepared per the prescribed rule for a “slayer” is to be set apart and donated to a Veda-trained Brahmin, making the act both ethical restitution and ritual purification.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the verse reflects Vaishnava dharma: kingship must uphold the cosmic order sustained by the Supreme Reality (Vishnu), and expiatory giving is a means to realign action with that universal sovereignty.