Shloka 26

Pātra-Nirṇaya and Ritual Procedure: Who to Feed, Who to Avoid, and Step-by-Step Śrāddha Performance

Devanagari script

जुहुयाद् व्यञ्जनक्षारवर्जम् अन्नं ततो ऽनले अनुज्ञातो द्विजैस् तैस् तु त्रिकृत्वः पुरुषर्षभ

Transliteration

juhuyād vyañjanakṣāravarjam annaṃ tato 'nale anujñāto dvijais tais tu trikṛtvaḥ puruṣarṣabha

Translation

Then, O bull among men, having obtained the leave of those twice-born, he should offer into the sacred fire food free from condiments and alkaline substances; and, with their assent, he should make the offering three times.

Word by Word

• जुहुयात्: should offer (into fire)
• जुहुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• व्यञ्जनक्षारवर्जम्: excluding condiments and alkaline/salty items
• व्यञ्जनक्षारवर्जम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यञ्जन-क्षार-वर्ज (प्रातिपदिक); वर्ज (कृदन्त; क्त/न? here as adjective stem 'varja' from √वृज्/√वर्ज् 'to avoid')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक तद्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), क्रम/अनन्तरार्थे = 'then/thereafter'

• अनले: in the fire
• अनले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अनुज्ञातः: having been permitted/authorized
• अनुज्ञातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु+ज्ञा (धातु) → अनुज्ञात (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• द्विजैः: by the twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक = 'but/indeed'

• त्रिकृत्वः: thrice
• त्रिकृत्वः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रि-कृत्वस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of frequency) = 'three times'

• पुरुषर्षभ: O bull among men (best of men)
• पुरुषर्षभ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Śrāddha-homa procedure: permitted offerings into fire, purity rules, and triple oblation with dvija assent

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: procedural and authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual efficacy depends on disciplined procedure—pure offerings, deference to qualified Brāhmaṇas, and prescribed repetition.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In any spiritual discipline, seek competent guidance, keep practices simple and sattvic, and value consistency over display.

Vishishtadvaita: Deference to dvija guidance and sattvic offering underscores that karma is to be performed as service (śeṣatva) in alignment with divine order, not as self-assertion.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Brahmins (Dvijas)
• Sacred Fire (Agni)

FAQs

What is the significance of offering food without condiments and kṣāra in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse emphasizes ritual purity and simplicity in homa: offerings should be uncontaminated by strong seasonings or alkaline/salty additives, aligning the rite with sattvic restraint and Vedic propriety.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of dvijas in authorizing rituals?

Parāśara presents dvija assent as a formal validation of correct procedure—ritual acts are to be performed under the guidance/permission of qualified Brahmins to preserve dharmic accuracy.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s dharma-teaching frames correct ritual order as part of the cosmic governance ultimately upheld by Vishnu as Supreme Reality and sustainer of universal law.