Shloka 5

Devanagari script

तेनैवोक्तः पठेद् वेदं नान्यचित्तः पुरः स्थितः अनुज्ञातश् च भिक्षान्नम् अश्नीयाद् गुरुणा ततः

Transliteration

tenaivoktaḥ paṭhed vedaṃ nānyacittaḥ puraḥ sthitaḥ anujñātaś ca bhikṣānnam aśnīyād guruṇā tataḥ

Translation

Thus instructed by the teacher, the student should recite the Veda with an undistracted mind, standing before the Guru; and only when permitted by the Guru should he thereafter partake of the alms-food.

Word by Word

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• उक्तः: having been instructed/commanded
• उक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘उक्त’ = spoken/commanded

• पठेत्: should recite/read
• पठेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वेदम्: the Veda
• वेदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अन्यचित्तः: with mind elsewhere/distracted
• अन्यचित्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अन्ये चित्तं यस्य/अन्यचित्तः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुरः: in front
• पुरः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (उपसर्गसदृश/क्रियाविशेषण), ‘in front’

• स्थितः: standing
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनुज्ञातः: having been permitted
• अनुज्ञातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘permitted’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• भिक्षा-अन्नम्: alms-food
• भिक्षा-अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भिक्षायाः अन्नम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अश्नीयात्: should eat
• अश्नीयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गुरुणा: by the teacher
• गुरुणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण), ‘thereafter/from that’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya, describing dharma for the brahmacārin/student)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Brahmacarya discipline and proper conduct of the Veda-student toward the guru

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vedic learning bears fruit only when pursued with one-pointed attention and humility under the guru’s authority.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice focused study, reduce distraction, and accept guidance/permission in disciplined routines (food, speech, learning).

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma as service (kainkarya) to the Lord is mediated through rightful submission to the guru and śāstra.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Guru
• Veda
• Brahmacharin (student)

FAQs

What is the significance of discipline and permission in brahmacharya according to the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames learning as obedience: Vedic study must be done attentively before the Guru, and even eating is regulated—only after the Guru’s consent—so the student’s life becomes an instrument of dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the proper method of Vedic study here?

Parāśara emphasizes posture and attention: the student stands before the teacher and recites with a mind free from distraction, indicating reverence, focus, and fidelity to transmission.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching serves Vaishnava dharma: disciplined conduct sustains sacred knowledge and right order, which the Purana ultimately presents as upheld under Vishnu’s sovereign governance of the cosmos.