Shloka 2

Nāndīmukha-śrāddha (Prosperity Rites), Preta-kriyā, Aśauca, Ekoddiṣṭa, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Framework

Devanagari script

युग्मान् देवांश् च पित्र्यांश् च सम्यक् सव्यक्रमाद् द्विजान् पूजयेद् भोजयेच् चैव तन्मना नान्यमानसः

Transliteration

yugmān devāṃś ca pitryāṃś ca samyak savyakramād dvijān pūjayed bhojayec caiva tanmanā nānyamānasaḥ

Translation

He should, in proper order, honor and feed the twice-born, seating them in pairs as representatives of the gods and the ancestral spirits, with a mind wholly intent on the sacred act and not turned elsewhere.

Word by Word

• युग्मान्: pairs (couples)
• युग्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

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

• पित्र्यान्: ancestral (beings/manes-related)
• पित्र्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पित्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘पितृसम्बन्धिनः’ (ancestral)

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

• सम्यक्: properly, duly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सव्यक्रमात्: according to the leftward order (savyakrama)
• सव्यक्रमात्: Apadana (Source/Standard/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सव्य + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक; सव्यक्रम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘सव्यस्य क्रमः’ (left-side order); अपादानार्थे (from/according to)

• द्विजान्: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• पूजयेत्: should worship/honor
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु) (णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: make eat/feed)

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

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/particle)

• तन्मना: with mind fixed on that (rite)
• तन्मना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक; तन्मनस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—‘तस्मिन् मनः यस्य’ (whose mind is on that)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अन्य-मानसः: distracted, of another mind
• अन्य-मानसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य + मानस (प्रातिपदिक; अन्यमानस)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—‘अन्यत्र मनः यस्य’ (whose mind is elsewhere)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Proper procedure of abhyudaya-śrāddha: honoring dvijas as deva- and pitṛ-representatives with focused mind

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: precise and procedural

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual hospitality becomes worship when performed in correct order with single-pointed attention, treating guests as embodiments of devas and pitṛs.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice mindful offering—serve elders/teachers/guests without distraction, as an act of worship rather than social performance.

Vishishtadvaita: Service to qualified beings (devas/pitṛs via dvijas) is framed as a sacred act within the Lord’s order, aligning karma with devotion rather than separating ritual from theism.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Pitrs
• Dvijas (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the significance of feeding dvijas in pairs for Devas and Pitrs in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames the invited dvijas as ritual stand-ins for the Devas and the Pitṛs; feeding them in proper order preserves dharmic and cosmic harmony through correctly performed offerings.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the importance of mental focus (tanmanā) during rites?

Parāśara emphasizes that the rite is not merely external: it must be performed with single-pointed attention, without distraction, so the act becomes a disciplined offering aligned with sacred order.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named directly, the Vishnu Purana treats correct dharma and yajña-like duties as sustaining the divinely governed order—ultimately upheld by the Supreme Reality, Vishnu.