Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

न पूति नैवोपपन्नं केशकीटादिभिर् नृप न चैवाभिषवैर् मिश्रम् अन्नं पर्युषितं तथा

Transliteration

na pūti naivopapannaṃ keśakīṭādibhir nṛpa na caivābhiṣavair miśram annaṃ paryuṣitaṃ tathā

Translation

O King, one should not partake of food that is foul, nor food contaminated by hair, insects, and the like; nor food mixed with intoxicants—nor likewise food kept overnight and grown stale.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• पूति: putrid/impure
• पूति: कर्म-विशेषण (Object-Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘annaṃ’)

• न: nor
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• उपपन्नम्: contaminated
• उपपन्नम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object-Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप√पद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘उपपन्न’ = contaminated/affected/come into contact

• केश-कीट-आदिभिः: by hair, insects, etc.
• केश-कीट-आदिभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक) + कीट (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘केशकीटादि’ = hair, insects, etc. (समाहारार्थ-समास)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• अभिषवैः: with fermenting agents/intoxicants
• अभिषवैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिषव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘अभिषव’ = fermenting agents/pressings (context: intoxicants)

• मिश्रम्: mixed
• मिश्रम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object-Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मिश्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘annaṃ’)

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

• पर्युषितम्: stale
• पर्युषितम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object-Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि√वस्/उष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘पर्युषित’ = stale/kept overnight

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: प्रकार (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya; addressing a king as an exemplar of righteous rule)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Dietary purity and exclusions relevant to dharmic steadiness and ritual fitness

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: disciplinary and corrective

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avoiding putrid, contaminated, intoxicant-mixed, and stale food preserves śauca and supports steadiness for dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt mindful eating: fresh, clean, non-intoxicating food; treat diet as part of spiritual discipline and mental clarity.

Vishishtadvaita: Sattvika āhāra as an aid to bhakti and dharma—supporting the embodied self (śarīra) as a vehicle of service to the Lord.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kings

FAQs

What is the significance of food purity in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames purity of food as a practical foundation for dharma: avoiding foul, contaminated, intoxicant-mixed, or stale food preserves bodily and mental clarity needed for righteous conduct.

How does Sage Parāśara explain discipline in daily life through such rules?

By giving concrete prohibitions—contamination, intoxication, and staleness—Parāśara shows that dharma is sustained through everyday restraint, not only through ritual or philosophy.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the teaching supports Vaishnava cosmology: living in purity and self-control aligns the individual with the divine order (ṛta/dharma) upheld by Vishnu as the Supreme Sovereign.