Shloka 96

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

Devanagari script

विष्णुर् अत्ता तथैवान्नं परिणामश् च वै यथा सत्येन तेन वै भुक्तं जीर्यत्व् अन्नम् इदं तथा

Transliteration

viṣṇur attā tathaivānnaṃ pariṇāmaś ca vai yathā satyena tena vai bhuktaṃ jīryatv annam idaṃ tathā

Translation

Vishnu is the eater; Vishnu indeed is the food; and Vishnu is the very transformation by which it is digested. Therefore, grounded in that Truth, may this eaten food be duly ripened and assimilated.

Word by Word

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अत्ता: the eater
• अत्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; agent noun ‘eater’

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (thus/likewise)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis: indeed/only)

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• परिणामः: digestion, transformation
• परिणामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिणाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘digestion/transformation’

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

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकार (as)

• सत्येन: by truth
• सत्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण (by truth)

• तेन: therefore
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3), एकवचन; ‘by that/therefore’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic)

• भुक्तम्: eaten
• भुक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय भूतकर्मणि, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘eaten’; qualifies ‘अन्नम्’

• जीर्यतु: let it be digested
• जीर्यतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जॄ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (जीर्यते) usage; ‘let it be digested’

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; subject of passive ‘जीर्यतु’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; demonstrative; विशेषण of ‘अन्नम्’

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार (thus)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vishnu is the eater, the eaten, and the transformative process itself; eating ‘in truth’ aligns the act with Reality and yields proper assimilation.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Practice ‘annam-brahma’ mindfulness: offer mentally to Vishnu, eat without distraction, and see digestion as God’s action within you.

Vishishtadvaita: All acts and their fruits depend on the Lord as inner agent; the jīva participates as a mode (prakāra) of Brahman under divine governance.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being called the eater, the food, and the digestion in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents Vishnu as all-pervading Supreme Reality—present as the experiencer, the experienced, and the transforming power—so ordinary acts like eating become sacred when seen as resting in Him.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept of 'truth' (satya) in relation to daily actions like eating?

Here satya implies alignment with Reality—eating with sincere awareness that Vishnu pervades the act—by which the act is harmonized with dharma and becomes properly assimilative rather than merely consumptive.

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

The verse reinforces Vaishnava metaphysics: Vishnu is not only a distant deity but the indwelling sovereign who sustains life through every function, including digestion and transformation.