Shloka 79

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

Devanagari script

प्राङ्मुखोदङ्मुखो वापि न चैवान्यमना नरः अन्नं प्रशस्तं पथ्यं च प्रोक्षितं प्रोक्षणोदकैः

Transliteration

prāṅmukhodaṅmukho vāpi na caivānyamanā naraḥ annaṃ praśastaṃ pathyaṃ ca prokṣitaṃ prokṣaṇodakaiḥ

Translation

Let a person, facing east or facing north, and with the mind not wandering elsewhere, partake of food that is approved and wholesome—food sanctified by being sprinkled with consecrating water (prokṣaṇa).

Word by Word

• प्राङ्मुखः: facing east
• प्राङ्मुखः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ् (प्रातिपदिक/दिक्शब्द) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः = प्राच्यां दिशि मुखं यस्य सः

• उदङ्मुखः: facing north
• उदङ्मुखः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदङ् (प्रातिपदिक/दिक्शब्द) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः = उत्तरां दिशि मुखं यस्य सः

• वा: or
• वा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• अपि: also
• अपि: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/सम्भावना-अव्यय (also/even)

• न: not
• न: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (indeed/only)

• अन्यमनाः: distracted/with mind elsewhere
• अन्यमनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; बहुव्रीहिः = अन्यत् मनः यस्य सः (distracted)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्रशस्तम्: commended/approved
• प्रशस्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रशस्त (शंस्-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (अन्नस्य)

• पथ्यम्: wholesome
• पथ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पथ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (अन्नस्य)

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• प्रोक्षितम्: sprinkled/purified by sprinkling
• प्रोक्षितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र (उपसर्ग) + उक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (अन्नस्य)

• प्रोक्षणोदकैः: with water for sprinkling
• प्रोक्षणोदकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रोक्षण (प्र+उक्ष्, ल्युट्-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण; समासः = प्रोक्षणस्य उदकानि

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Proper orientation and sanctification of food (prokṣaṇa) in daily dharma

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Facing east or north, with undistracted mind, one should eat wholesome food sanctified by sprinkling—transforming nourishment into a dharmic, Vishnu-aligned act.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Before meals, pause, offer a brief prayer, and eat attentively; treat food as prasāda by cultivating sanctity and focus.

Vishishtadvaita: Ordinary acts become offerings within the Lord’s cosmic order: the world is real and serviceable as God’s body (śarīra) when used in dharma.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of facing east or north while eating in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents east/north orientation as a dharmic discipline: aligning the body and attention with auspicious directions while performing a daily act, so eating becomes ordered, intentional, and ritually appropriate.

How does Sage Parāśara explain proper conduct (ācāra) in this context?

Parāśara frames correct conduct as a union of outer rule and inner focus: approved and wholesome food, purified by sprinkling, and eaten with an undistracted mind—showing that dharma includes both ritual cleanliness and mental steadiness.

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

Even without naming Vishnu directly, the teaching reflects Vaishnava dharma: ordinary life is to be harmonized with the supreme order sustained by Vishnu, so daily acts like eating become offerings of discipline within that larger cosmic sovereignty.