Shloka 36

स्वाध्याय-योगोपदेशः तथा केशिध्वज-खाण्डिक्य-उपाख्यानम्

Yoga through Study and Restraint; The Keśidhvaja–Khāṇḍikya Narrative Frame

Devanagari script

पूजिता ऋत्विजः सर्वे सदस्या मानिता मया तथैवार्थिजनो ऽप्य् अर्थैर् योजितो ऽभिमतैर् मया

Transliteration

pūjitā ṛtvijaḥ sarve sadasyā mānitā mayā tathaivārthijano 'py arthair yojito 'bhimatair mayā

Translation

All the officiating priests were duly worshipped by me, and the members of the sacred assembly were honored as well. Likewise, those who came seeking aid were satisfied by me with wealth, granted according to their rightful wishes.

Word by Word

• पूजिताः: honored/worshipped
• पूजिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पूज् (धातु) → पूजित (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle)

• ऋत्विजः: priests
• ऋत्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• सदस्याः: members/assistants (of the rite)
• सदस्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• मानिताः: respected
• मानिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √मान् (धातु) → मानित (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Adverbial (Kriya-vishesana/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘thus/so’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• अर्थिजनः: the needy people/suppliants
• अर्थिजनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अर्थिनां जनः)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (conjunctive/emphatic): ‘also/even’

• अर्थैः: with wealth/means
• अर्थैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• योजितः: provided/supplied
• योजितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √युज् (धातु) → योजित (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि

• अभिमतैः: desired/approved
• अभिमतैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिमत (√मन्/√मि, क्त-कृदन्त as adjective)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma includes honoring ritual specialists and satisfying rightful petitioners through appropriate generosity.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice gratitude to teachers and fair charity to those in need, calibrated to justice rather than vanity.

Vishishtadvaita: Wealth and social station are to be used as stewardship in service to dharma, reflecting the Lord’s immanent governance of society.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: dasya

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Ritviks (sacrificial priests)
• Sadasyas (ritual assembly)
• Petitioners/beneficiaries (arthijana)

FAQs

What is the significance of honoring ṛtvij priests and the ritual assembly in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents it as a core mark of righteous rule: proper worship of officiants and respect for the assembly sustains dharma and the ordered functioning of sacred rites.

How does Sage Parāśara frame ideal generosity toward petitioners (arthijana) here?

He depicts giving as intentional and proportionate—supplying seekers with wealth that is fitting and desired, indicating disciplined charity rather than careless distribution.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the implied Vaishnava frame is that dharmic kingship—yajna, honor, and dana—upholds the cosmic order ultimately grounded in Vishnu as the supreme sustaining reality.