Shloka 85

मायामोह-प्रवर्तन, वेदमार्ग-बहिष्कार, तथा पाषण्ड-संसर्ग-दोषः

Māyāmoha’s Delusion, Rejection of the Vedic Path, and the Fault of Heretical Association

Devanagari script

ततस् तु जनको राजा वाजिमेधं महाक्रतुम् चकार तस्यावभृथे स्नापयाम् आस तं तदा

Transliteration

tatas tu janako rājā vājimedhaṃ mahākratum cakāra tasyāvabhṛthe snāpayām āsa taṃ tadā

Translation

Then King Janaka performed the mighty royal sacrifice of the Aśvamedha; and at its concluding rite (avabhṛtha) he had him bathed at that time, in accordance with the sacrificial ordinance.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Nipāta (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• जनकः: Janaka
• जनकः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्ता

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्ता/अप्पोजिशन (in apposition to जनकः)

• वाजिमेधम्: the Aśvamedha sacrifice
• वाजिमेधम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजिमेध (प्रातिपदिक; वाजि + मेध)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म; तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: "horse-sacrifice")

• महाक्रतुम्: the great ritual
• महाक्रतुम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाक्रतु (प्रातिपदिक; महा + क्रतु)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म; कर्मधारय ("great rite")

• चकार: performed
• चकार: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तस्य: of that (sacrifice)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive: "of it/of that")

• अवभृथे: at the concluding bath (avabhṛtha)
• अवभृथे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवभृथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative: "at the avabhṛtha bath")

• स्नापयाम्: caused (him) to bathe
• स्नापयाम्: Kriyā (with auxiliary)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट्-पर्याय/परिप्रयोगे: लिट्-समासन्न-रूप (periphrastic perfect base); causative stem स्नापय-; (with आसा) कृदन्तवत् प्रयोग; कर्मणि तं प्रति स्नापनक्रिया

• आस: did/was (auxiliary)
• आस: Sahāyakriyā (Auxiliary)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; सहायक्रिया (auxiliary with स्नापयाम्)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Kāla (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then/at that time)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How śrauta rites (Aśvamedha, avabhṛtha) function as markers of royal dharma and as occasions within karmic narratives.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The king’s Aśvamedha and avabhṛtha underscore the Vedic principle that properly ordered action (yajña) sustains dharma and purifies participants.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Perform duties with integrity and dedicatory intent (īśvara-arpaṇa), treating ‘concluding baths’ as symbolic moments of self-review and renewal.

Vishishtadvaita: Yajña is meaningful within a real world sustained by Nārāyaṇa; action becomes sanctifying when aligned to divine order rather than denied as illusion.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Royal dharma through yajña and protection of ritual order

Key Kings: Janaka

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Aśvamedha (Vājimedha)
• Vedic sacrifice (Mahākratu)
• Avabhṛtha (concluding bath rite)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Aśvamedha (Vājimedha) in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, Janaka’s Aśvamedha functions as a public, Vedic affirmation of righteous sovereignty—kingship exercised as dharma in service of universal order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain royal duty through ritual in this context?

By narrating Janaka’s completion of a Mahākratu and its avabhṛtha rite, Parāśara frames ideal kingship as disciplined adherence to śrauta practice, not mere political power.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purana’s logic treats dharmic kingship and Vedic yajña as participation in the sustaining order ultimately grounded in Vishnu as the supreme reality who upholds the cosmos.