Shloka 8

यजुर्वेदशाखाः, याज्ञवल्क्य–वैशम्पायनसंवादः, सूर्यस्तुतिः

Yajurveda branches and Yājñavalkya’s solar revelation

Devanagari script

अथाह याज्ञवल्क्यस् तं किम् एभिर् भगवन् द्विजैः क्लेशितैर् अल्पतेजोभिश् चरिष्ये ऽहम् इदं व्रतम्

Transliteration

athāha yājñavalkyas taṃ kim ebhir bhagavan dvijaiḥ kleśitair alpatejobhiś cariṣye 'ham idaṃ vratam

Translation

Then Yājñavalkya said: “Revered sir, what need have I of these twice-born men, worn down by hardship and of little spiritual radiance? I shall undertake this sacred observance by myself.”

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमार्थक

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Yājñavalkya
• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याज्ञवल्क्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (व्यक्तिनाम)

• तम्: to him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Karma/Predicate interrogative
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• एभिः: with these
• एभिः: Karana/Association (Instrument/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भगवन्: O venerable sir
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्विजैः: by/with the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजैः: Karana/Association (Instrument/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• क्लेशितैः: afflicted, wearied
• क्लेशितैः: Karana/Association qualifier
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लेशय् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विजैः इति विशेषणम्

• अल्पतेजोभिः: of little vigor/energy
• अल्पतेजोभिः: Karana/Association qualifier
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (अल्पं तेजो येषां ते) द्विजैः इति विशेषणम्

• चरिष्ये: I shall practice/undertake
• चरिष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्/Future), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्रतम्: vow, penance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Yājñavalkya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The rise of Yājñavalkya and the tension between tapas/tejas and guru-śiṣya humility in dharmic practice

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Spiritual power (tejas) without vinaya (humility) becomes pride, disrupting the guru-śiṣya dharma even when austerity is undertaken.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate competence and discipline, but avoid contempt for others; keep teachers and peers honored while pursuing intense practice.

Vishishtadvaita: True sādhana in Viśiṣṭādvaita requires śeṣatva-bhāva (servanthood to God and His order); arrogance contradicts surrendered devotion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Dvijas (Brahmins)

FAQs

What is the significance of tejas in this Vishnu Purana verse?

Tejas here implies spiritual vigor and inner potency; Yājñavalkya suggests that without such radiance, ritual assistance becomes ineffective, so he chooses to rely on his own discipline.

How does the Vishnu Purana frame the performance of a vrata in this passage?

The verse presents vrata as a serious, self-contained discipline grounded in personal austerity and competence, not merely a ceremony dependent on the presence of many participants.

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

Even when not named in the verse, the Purāṇic worldview treats vows and dharmic observances as aligned with Vishnu’s sustaining order—true efficacy comes from inner purity and steadfastness within that cosmic sovereignty.