Shloka 39

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

सर्वघोषस्य संदोहो गृह्यतां मा विचार्यताम् भोज्यन्तां तेन वै विप्रास् तथा ये चाभिवाञ्छकाः

Transliteration

sarvaghoṣasya saṃdoho gṛhyatāṃ mā vicāryatām bhojyantāṃ tena vai viprās tathā ye cābhivāñchakāḥ

Translation

Gather the entire store of provisions of the whole settlement—do not deliberate or hesitate. With it, duly feed the brāhmaṇas, and also all who come seeking aid.

Word by Word

• सर्वघोषस्य: of the entire village/settlement
• सर्वघोषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + घोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वस्य घोषस्य = of the whole settlement/hamlet)

• संदोहः: the collection/assembly
• संदोहः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संदोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• गृह्यताम्: let it be gathered/accepted
• गृह्यताम्: Vidhi (Injunctive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive): ‘let it be taken/accepted’

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratishedha (Prohibition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• विचार्यताम्: be considered/deliberated
• विचार्यताम्: Vidhi (Injunctive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+चर् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive): ‘let it be deliberated/considered’ (here with मा: ‘let it not be considered’)

• भोज्यन्ताम्: let them be fed
• भोज्यन्ताम्: Vidhi (Injunctive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive): ‘let them be fed’

• तेन: by that/thereby
• तेन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; साधन/हेतु-भावे

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karma (Recipients/Object in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karma (Recipients/Object in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

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

• अभिवाञ्छकाः: those who desire (to partake)
• अभिवाञ्छकाः: Karma (Recipients/Object in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभि+वाञ्छ् (धातु) → वाञ्छक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (ण्वुल्/क-प्रत्ययान्त agent noun): ‘desirers’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To mobilize the entire community for Govardhana worship, ensuring hospitality to brāhmaṇas and support to all seekers.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Dana and atithi-satkara as communal dharma within a reoriented yajña

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual is fulfilled through decisive collective action—gathering resources, feeding the worthy, and serving those who seek help.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Translate devotion into organized service: pool resources, feed guests and the needy, and remove procrastination in dharmic works.

Vishishtadvaita: Service to devotees and seekers is a concrete mode of serving the Lord, whose body is the community of beings dependent on Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas (viprāḥ)
• Petitioners/seekers (abhivāñchakāḥ)

FAQs

What is the significance of feeding brāhmaṇas and petitioners in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames generosity and hospitality as core rāja-dharma: the ruler must mobilize resources without hesitation to sustain brāhmaṇas and all who seek help, preserving social order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain righteous governance in this context?

Through dynastic narration, Parāśara highlights decisive action—collecting provisions and feeding the deserving—showing that dharma is enacted through timely support, not delayed by over-deliberation.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Even when Vishnu is not named, the ethic reflects Vaishnava order: sustaining beings through dharmic kingship mirrors Vishnu’s role as the preserver who upholds the world through rightful maintenance.