Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

रत्नवस्त्रमहीयानमहाभोगादिकं वसु विभवे सति विप्रेभ्यो यो ऽस्मान् उद्दिश्य दास्यति

Transliteration

ratnavastramahīyānamahābhogādikaṃ vasu vibhave sati viprebhyo yo 'smān uddiśya dāsyati

Translation

Whoever, when he has the means, gives to the brāhmaṇas wealth—jewels, garments, conveyances, great enjoyments and the like—dedicating that gift with us, the ancestors, in mind, truly offers it unto us.

Word by Word

• रत्नवस्त्रमहीयानमहाभोगादिकम्: jewels, garments, great vehicles, great enjoyments, etc. (as items)
• रत्नवस्त्रमहीयानमहाभोगादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत्न + वस्त्र + महीयान + महाभोग + आदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (रत्न-वस्त्र-महीयान-महाभोग-आदि)

• वसु: wealth/property
• वसु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• विभवे: when there is means/affluence
• विभवे: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• सति: being (present); when (it) exists
• सति: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: सत् (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध (locative absolute sense: being/when)

• विप्रेभ्यः: to the brahmins
• विप्रेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), बहुवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• अस्मान्: us
• अस्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• उद्दिश्य: having dedicated/with reference to
• उद्दिश्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• दास्यति: will give
• दास्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya, describing śrāddha and the efficacy of gifts dedicated to ancestors)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How gifts to worthy Brāhmaṇas—when dedicated to the Pitṛs—are effectively offerings to the ancestors

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Material gifts given to worthy Brāhmaṇas with explicit dedication to the Pitṛs are counted as offerings that reach and benefit the ancestors.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Channel prosperity into principled giving—support learning, priestly service, and welfare—while dedicating merit to forebears and the wider good.

Vishishtadvaita: Prosperity (Śrī) is to be consecrated through dāna; action becomes devotional when offered with right saṅkalpa within Bhagavān’s dharma.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Sage Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Brāhmaṇas
• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

What is the significance of dedicating gifts to ancestors (Pitṛs) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse teaches that when gifts are offered to Brāhmaṇas with the explicit intention of honoring the ancestors, the act is treated as an offering that reaches the Pitṛs—making śrāddha effective through both right recipient and right dedication.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the proper method of śrāddha-related giving here?

Parāśara emphasizes capacity-based giving (vibhave sati) and intentional dedication (uddiśya): one gives suitable wealth—jewels, clothing, conveyances, comforts—to Brāhmaṇas while mentally designating the ancestors as the intended beneficiaries.

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

Within the Vishnu Purana’s dharma framework, such rites operate under Vishnu’s cosmic governance: sustaining ancestral order and social harmony becomes a form of aligning human action with the Supreme Lord’s ordained system of duty and reciprocity.