Shloka 1

Devanagari script

सचैलस्य पितुः स्नानं जाते पुत्रे विधीयते जातकर्म तथा कुर्याच् श्राद्धम् अभ्युदये च यत्

Transliteration

sacailasya pituḥ snānaṃ jāte putre vidhīyate jātakarma tathā kuryāc śrāddham abhyudaye ca yat

Translation

When a son is born, the father is enjoined to bathe while still clothed; and he should duly perform the jātakarma, as well as the śrāddha prescribed for occasions of prosperity and auspicious increase.

Word by Word

• सचैलस्य: of (one) with clothes on
• सचैलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-चैल (प्रातिपदिक; स + चैल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘चैलसहितस्य’ (with clothes)

• पितुः: of the father
• पितुः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• स्नानम्: bath, bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• जाते: when (he) is born
• जाते: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (कृदन्त; √जन् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण—‘उत्पन्ने’ (when born)

• पुत्रे: in/at the son (i.e., when a son is born)
• पुत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• विधीयते: is prescribed, is enjoined
• विधीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (धातु) (वि + √धा)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive/कर्मणि)

• जातकर्म: the birth-rite (jātakarma)
• जातकर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जात + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक; जातकर्म)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘जातस्य कर्म’ (rite at birth)

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कुर्यात्: should do, should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अभ्युदये: on an auspicious occasion/prosperity
• अभ्युदये: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्युदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya, within the dharma/rite section)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Gṛhastha-dharma: auspicious (abhyudaya) śrāddha and saṃskāras beginning with birth of a son

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A son’s birth obligates the householder to perform purificatory bathing, jātakarma, and abhyudaya-śrāddha as dharma-sustaining acts.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Mark life-transitions with disciplined, gratitude-centered rites (or their ethical equivalents), honoring elders and tradition rather than treating milestones as mere consumption-events.

Vishishtadvaita: Household dharma is presented as service within the Lord’s sovereign order, implying the world and social duties function as His supported body (śarīra) under His rule.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of jātakarma in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse places jātakarma among the obligatory saṃskāras, marking birth as a dharmic transition that must be ritually affirmed within the householder order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain household dharma in this context?

Parāśara presents practical injunctions—bathing, jātakarma, and an abhyudaya-type śrāddha—showing that dharma is maintained through timely rites tied to life-events.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Even when Viṣṇu is not named, the Vishnu Purana frames such dharma as part of the ordered world sustained by the Supreme Reality, with correct rites aligning family life to that cosmic order.