Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

तृप्तेषु तेषु विकिरेद् अन्नं विप्रेषु भूतले दद्याच् चाचमनार्थाय तेभ्यो वारि सकृत् सकृत्

Transliteration

tṛpteṣu teṣu vikired annaṃ vipreṣu bhūtale dadyāc cācamanārthāya tebhyo vāri sakṛt sakṛt

Translation

When those Brahmins have been satisfied, one should then scatter food upon the ground in their presence; and for their sipping (ācamana), one should offer them water—again and again—according to proper rite.

Word by Word

• तृप्तेषु: when (they are) satisfied
• तृप्तेषु: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृप् (धातु) + तृप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, adjectival), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; तेषु इति विशेषण

• तेषु: in/among them
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Reference/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• विकिरेत्: one should scatter/distribute
• विकिरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-किॄ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

• विप्रेषु: among the brāhmaṇas
• विप्रेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• भूतले: on the ground/earth
• भूतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• दद्यात्: one should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• आचमनार्थाय: for sipping (water)
• आचमनार्थाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचमन + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष (ācamana-arthāya = for the purpose of sipping water)

• तेभ्यः: to them
• तेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी (4th/5th), बहुवचन; अत्र सम्प्रदानार्थे चतुर्थी

• वारि: water
• वारि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: once)

• सकृत्: again/once (repeated)
• सकृत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: once; repetition for emphasis)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Procedural completion of śrāddha after brāhmaṇa-satisfaction (anna-vikīraṇa, ācamana-water)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma is upheld by meticulous completion of śrāddha—satisfying brāhmaṇas, offering anna, and providing water for purification—so the rite concludes in harmony.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice mindful generosity: feed others, offer water, and complete commitments carefully rather than partially.

Vishishtadvaita: Service to brāhmaṇas/guests in prescribed rites functions as service within the Lord’s embodied social-cosmic order, integrating devotion with duty.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Brahmins (Vipras)

FAQs

What is the significance of offering water for ācamana in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames ācamana-water as a necessary completion of hospitality and ritual purity after feeding Brahmins, ensuring the rite concludes in a dharmic, orderly manner.

How does Sage Parāśara explain proper completion of offerings in this context?

He instructs that once the recipients are satisfied, food should be respectfully scattered/distributed and water should be offered repeatedly for ācamana—showing that correct sequence and etiquette are part of dharma.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the act is presented as dharma-maintenance—ritual order that, in the Vishnu Purana’s worldview, ultimately rests on Vishnu as the supreme sustainer of cosmic and social harmony.