Shloka 45

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

द्विजांश् च भोजयाम् आसुः शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः

Transliteration

dvijāṃś ca bhojayām āsuḥ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ

Translation

And they fed the twice-born—first by the hundreds, and then by the thousands.

Word by Word

• द्विजान्: brāhmaṇas (twice-born)
• द्विजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• भोजयाम्: to feed
• भोजयाम्: Kriya (Complementary action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: णिचन्त-धातोः तुमुन्-लोपयुक्तं ‘भोजयाम्’ इति (infinitival/absolutive-like in periphrastic construction) ; ‘to feed’ (used with आसुः)

• आसुः: they were; they proceeded (to)
• आसुः: Kriya (Auxiliary/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; परिप्रयोगे सहायकक्रिया

• शतशः: by hundreds
• शतशः: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक (by hundreds)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then)

• सहस्रशः: by thousands
• सहस्रशः: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक (by thousands)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the Govardhana-yajña was conducted according to dharma, including feeding of dvijas

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He inspires a dharmic festival in which the community supports brāhmaṇas through feeding, strengthening social and ritual order before Indra’s challenge unfolds.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Dāna and atithi-sevā as pillars of yajña and community dharma

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Feeding the twice-born in large numbers is an expression of yajña that sustains dharma through hospitality and sacred giving.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice annadāna: feed guests, support teachers, and integrate charity into religious observance.

Vishishtadvaita: Service to devotees and custodians of sacred knowledge is service to the Lord whose body includes all beings (śarīra-śarīrī-bhāva).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (twice-born/Brahmins)

FAQs

What is the significance of feeding the dvijas in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals the ruler’s commitment to dharma—anna-dāna and honoring learned Brahmins are portrayed as stabilizing social and sacred order, generating merit and legitimacy.

How does Sage Parāśara explain dharma through royal conduct in this passage?

By highlighting large-scale hospitality—feeding “hundreds and thousands”—Parāśara frames righteous kingship as service to the sacred community and the maintenance of ordained duties.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in this verse, the act reflects Vaishnava Purana ethics: sustaining beings through food and dharma mirrors the Supreme Lord’s role as preserver of cosmic order.