Shloka 10

श्राद्ध-योग्य द्रव्य, निषेध, तथा गयाश्राद्ध-माहात्म्य (Śrāddha Materials, Prohibitions, and the Glory of Gayā)

Devanagari script

नक्ताहृतम् अनुत्सृष्टं तृप्यते न च यत्र गौः दुर्गन्धि फेनिलं चाम्बु श्राद्धयोग्यं न पार्थिव

Transliteration

naktāhṛtam anutsṛṣṭaṃ tṛpyate na ca yatra gauḥ durgandhi phenilaṃ cāmbu śrāddhayogyaṃ na pārthiva

Translation

O King, water is not fit to be used for śrāddha if it has been fetched at night, if it is stagnant, if even a cow does not drink to satisfaction from it, or if it is foul-smelling and covered with froth.

Word by Word

• नक्ताहृतम्: brought at night
• नक्ताहृतम्: Karta (Predicate-Qualifier/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नक्त + आहृत (प्रातिपदिक; √हृ (धातु) से क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सप्तमी/तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थ (नक्तं आहृतम् = रातौ आनीतम्)

• अनुत्सृष्टम्: not released/not let out
• अनुत्सृष्टम्: Karta (Predicate-Qualifier/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + उत्सृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √सृज् (धातु) से क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-उपसर्गयुक्त (not discharged/let out)

• तृप्यते: is satisfied
• तृप्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तृप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात

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

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• गौः: cow
• गौः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (गो-शब्दः), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दुर्गन्धि: foul-smelling
• दुर्गन्धि: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + गन्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (अम्बु इति)

• फेनिलम्: frothy
• फेनिलम्: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फेनिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (अम्बु इति)

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

• अम्बु: water
• अम्बु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्राद्धयोग्यम्: fit for śrāddha
• श्राद्धयोग्यम्: Karta (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्राद्ध + योग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (श्राद्धस्य योग्यं)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात

• पार्थिव: O king/earthly ruler
• पार्थिव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya; addressed here as 'O King')

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Ritual purity standards for śrāddha materials (especially water)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Offerings to the Pitṛs require substances that are naturally pure—flowing, fresh, agreeable even to animals—since impurity disrupts ritual fitness.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use clean, fresh water for worship and memorial rites; cultivate discernment about sources and quality rather than mere formality.

Vishishtadvaita: Material elements (jala) are part of the Lord’s ordered world; honoring that order through careful selection becomes a form of reverent service.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• King (Pārthiva)
• Cow (Gauḥ)

FAQs

What is the significance of water quality in the Vishnu Purana’s śrāddha instructions?

This verse makes water itself a measure of ritual purity: water that is night-fetched, stagnant, rejected by a cow, foul-smelling, or frothy is declared unfit for śrāddha.

How does Sage Parāśara explain suitability (yogyatā) for śrāddha offerings here?

He defines suitability through observable signs—freshness/flow, absence of odor and foam, and even the natural test of whether a cow drinks contentedly—so the rite rests on purity rather than mere form.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the śrāddha discipline is presented as part of Vaiṣṇava dharma: maintaining purity in offerings upholds the ordered world that operates under the Supreme Lord’s sovereignty.