Shloka 20

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

तद् वृष्टिजनितं सस्यं वयम् अन्ये च देहिनः वर्तयामोपभुञ्जानास् तर्पयामश् च देवताः

Transliteration

tad vṛṣṭijanitaṃ sasyaṃ vayam anye ca dehinaḥ vartayāmopabhuñjānās tarpayāmaś ca devatāḥ

Translation

From that rain grain is born; by consuming it, we and all embodied beings are sustained, and by it we also nourish and satisfy the gods.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying सस्यम्)

• वृष्टि-जनितम्: produced by rain
• वृष्टि-जनितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + जनित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (वृष्ट्या/वृष्टेः जनितम् = produced by rain); विशेषण (qualifying सस्यम्)

• सस्यम्: crop, grain
• सस्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; वयम्-समुच्चित (others)

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

• देहिनः: embodied beings
• देहिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; विशेष्य (living beings)

• वर्तयामः: we sustain, we maintain (our life)
• वर्तयामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु; causative/णिच्: वर्तय)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (cause to continue/maintain)

• उपभुञ्जानाः: enjoying, consuming
• उपभुञ्जानाः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + भुज् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present middle participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद-भाव; वयम्-विशेषण (while enjoying/consuming)

• तर्पयामः: we satisfy
• तर्पयामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु; causative/णिच्: तर्पय)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (to satisfy)

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

• देवताः: the deities
• देवताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya in the main dialogue frame of the Vishnu Purana)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How rain leads to food, sustains beings, and supports the gods through offerings.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: didactic

Cosmological Context

Manvantara: Vaivasvata

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To illuminate the reciprocity of yajña—food, beings, and devas—so that later the object of yajña can be re-centered on Bhagavān.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Maintenance of ṛta/dharma through yajña-based reciprocity sustaining life and divine order.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Life is sustained through a chain of mutual support—rain to food, food to beings, offerings to devas—so action should be performed as dharmic offering rather than mere consumption.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice gratitude and offering: eat mindfully, share resources, and dedicate work to the Divine and the common good.

Vishishtadvaita: All reciprocal supports operate within Narayana’s body-cosmos; karma becomes yoga when offered to the indwelling Lord who is both cause and ruler.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Devatāḥ (gods)
• Dehinaḥ (embodied beings)

FAQs

What is the significance of the rain–food cycle in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents rain as the origin of food and food as the support of embodied life, showing a sacred chain of dependence that keeps the world functioning in harmony.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between humans and the devas here?

Parāśara describes humans and other beings living on rain-born crops and, through that sustenance, reciprocally “nourishing” the devas—an image of mutual maintenance within dharma.

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

Even when not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana frames such cosmic reciprocity as operating under the Supreme Lord’s sovereignty—Vishnu as the sustaining Reality behind the order that feeds beings and empowers the gods.