Shloka 11

Śrāddha’s Cosmic Reach and Kāla-Nirṇaya (Sacred Timings): Amāvāsyā, Nakṣatra-Yoga, Tīrtha, and Minimum Offerings

Devanagari script

गीतं सनत्कुमारेण यद्ऽइलाय महात्मने पृच्छते पितृभक्ताय श्रद्धयावनताय च

Transliteration

gītaṃ sanatkumāreṇa yad'ilāya mahātmane pṛcchate pitṛbhaktāya śraddhayāvanatāya ca

Translation

This indeed was the teaching sung by Sanatkumāra to the great-souled Ilā, when Ilā—devoted to the Pitṛs—bowed in reverent faith and made the inquiry.

Word by Word

• गीतम्: sung, recited
• गीतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गै (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• सनत्कुमारेण: by Sanatkumāra
• सनत्कुमारेण: Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनत्कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय-समास (सनत् + कुमार)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative pronoun/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• इलाय: to Ilā
• इलाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• महात्मने: to the great-souled (one)
• महात्मने: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय-समास (महत् + आत्मन्)

• पृच्छते: asks
• पृच्छते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• पितृभक्ताय: to one devoted to the ancestors
• पितृभक्ताय: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पितॄणां भक्तः)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अवनताय: to the bowed/humble (one)
• अवनताय: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव + नम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → अवनत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya, introducing Sanatkumāra’s recitation to Ilā)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Teachings bear fruit when approached with śraddhā and vinaya; Ilā’s pitṛ-bhakti frames dharma as reverent continuity with one’s sources.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Approach spiritual learning with humility; keep a disciplined practice of gratitude to elders/ancestors and teachers.

Vishishtadvaita: Śraddhā as receptive devotion: knowledge is not merely intellectual but relational, received through guru-paramparā under Bhagavān’s grace.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: pitṛ-bhakti (reverent devotion to ancestors)

Key Kings: Ilā

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumāra
• Ilā
• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

What is the significance of Pitṛ-bhakti (devotion to ancestors) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Ilā’s worthiness to receive instruction through Pitṛ-bhakti and śraddhā, highlighting ancestral reverence as a key dharmic virtue within royal and genealogical narratives.

How does Sage Parāśara structure teachings through dialogue in this context?

Parāśara introduces an embedded dialogue—Sanatkumāra’s recitation to Ilā—showing how Purāṇic knowledge is transmitted through qualified inquiry and authoritative sages.

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

Even when the verse is introductory, the Vishnu Purana’s method is to ground lineage and dharma in sacred instruction that ultimately supports Vishnu’s cosmic sovereignty as the sustaining principle behind order, tradition, and rightful conduct.