Shloka 19

यजुर्वेदशाखाः, याज्ञवल्क्य–वैशम्पायनसंवादः, सूर्यस्तुतिः

Yajurveda branches and Yājñavalkya’s solar revelation

Devanagari script

बिभर्ति यः सुरगणान् आप्यायेन्दुं स्वरश्मिभिः स्वधामृतेन च पितॄंस् तस्मै तृप्त्यात्मने नमः

Transliteration

bibharti yaḥ suragaṇān āpyāyenduṃ svaraśmibhiḥ svadhāmṛtena ca pitṝṃs tasmai tṛptyātmane namaḥ

Translation

Salutations to Him whose very nature is perfect fulfillment—He who sustains the hosts of gods, nourishes the Moon with His own rays, and satisfies the ancestral spirits with the nectar of His own divine abode.

Word by Word

• बिभर्ति: (he) supports; bears
• बिभर्ति: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचकः (relative pronoun)

• सुरगणान्: the hosts of gods
• सुरगणान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सुराणां गणाः

• आप्याय: having nourished; having caused to swell
• आप्याय: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + प्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) ‘आप्याय’ = ‘आप्याय्य/आप्यायित्वा’ (पाठभेद-सम्भवः); क्रियाविशेषणम्

• इन्दुम्: the Moon
• इन्दुम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्वरश्मिभिः: with his own rays
• स्वरश्मिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + रश्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—स्वाः रश्मयः

• स्वधामृतेन: with his own nectar-like radiance
• स्वधामृतेन: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + धाम + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—स्वधाम (स्वं तेजः/प्रभा) एव अमृतम् इव, तेन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक-संबन्धः (conjunction)

• पितॄन्: the ancestors (Pitṛs)
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; निर्देशवाचकः (demonstrative)

• तृप्त्यात्मने: to the one whose essence is satisfaction
• तृप्त्यात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—तृप्तिः आत्मा यस्य/यः

• नमः: homage
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/उद्गारः), नमस्कारार्थकः

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Lord Vishnu while instructing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Sūrya’s sustaining function for devas, the moon, and pitṛs through his rays and svadhā-like nectar

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: compassionate

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord, as Sūrya’s sustaining power, nourishes devas and the moon and grants satisfaction to the pitṛs—implying a cosmic economy of reciprocity and gratitude.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Maintain daily gratitude practices (arghya to Sūrya, remembrance of ancestors) as a way to align personal life with cosmic order and responsibility.

Vishishtadvaita: Divine immanence: the same Supreme operates within natural processes (rays, nourishment) and ritual channels (pitṛ-tarpaṇa) as inner controller.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Devas
• Chandra (the Moon)
• Pitrs (ancestors)

FAQs

What is the significance of nourishing the Moon in the Vishnu Purana?

It portrays Vishnu as the hidden source of cosmic processes—celestial bodies function because His power sustains and replenishes them.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme’s relationship to devas and pitrs here?

Parāśara presents Vishnu as the single sustaining principle: gods are upheld, the Moon is strengthened, and the ancestors are satisfied—different realms, one sovereign support.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Vishnu is praised as tṛptyātmā—self-sufficient fullness—yet He is also the giver of fulfillment to all beings, aligning devotion with cosmic dependence on the Supreme.