Shloka 43

Devanagari script

देवर्षिपितृभूतानि यस्य निःश्वस्य वेश्मनि प्रयान्त्य् अनर्चितान्य् अत्र न तस्मात् पापकृन् नरः

Transliteration

devarṣipitṛbhūtāni yasya niḥśvasya veśmani prayānty anarcitāny atra na tasmāt pāpakṛn naraḥ

Translation

A man in whose very dwelling devas, sages, ancestors, and all beings may come and go even without formal worship is not to be counted a sinner; there, the very breath stands as witness that reverence has not been withheld.

Word by Word

• देवर्षिपितृभूतानि: gods, sages, ancestors, and beings (collectively)
• देवर्षिपितृभूतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective copulative)

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• निःश्वस्य: of the breath/exhalation
• निःश्वस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःश्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• वेश्मनि: in the house
• वेश्मनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• प्रयान्ति: go/come (depart)
• प्रयान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथम), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अनर्चितानि: unworshipped, unhonoured
• अनर्चितानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्- + अर्चित (कृदन्त; √अर्च् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृत् (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• तस्मात्: from that (house/person)
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative)

• पापकृत्: a sinner, one who commits sin
• पापकृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (agent-noun: 'doer of sin')

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Duties of householders regarding honoring devas, ṛṣis, pitṛs, and beings (hospitality and reverence)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A household is dharmic only when devas, sages, ancestors, and beings are duly honored; neglect within one’s own dwelling undermines righteousness.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat guests and dependents with consistent respect; make daily gratitude/offerings (even simple) part of home life.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is rendered as service to Bhagavān’s dependents (all beings), implying a world upheld by the Lord’s order.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Rishis
• Pitrs (ancestors)
• Bhutas (living beings)

FAQs

What is the significance of honoring devas, rishis, pitrs, and bhutas in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames hospitality and reverence as a core measure of dharma: a house becomes righteous when it does not let divine, ancestral, and living guests pass without due honor.

How does Sage Parāśara explain householder duty in this context?

Parāśara presents grihastha-dharma as practical spirituality—daily respect and offerings that maintain harmony between humans, gods, sages, ancestors, and all beings.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu here?

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching aligns with Vaishnava dharma: sustaining the cosmic order through right conduct is a way of serving the Supreme who pervades all beings and relationships.