Shloka 18

भार्गवसर्गः, ऋषिवंशाः, वह्नयः (अग्निवंशः), पितृसृष्टिः

Devanagari script

पितरो ब्रह्मणा सृष्टा व्याख्याता ये मया तव अग्निष्वात्ता बर्हिषदो ऽनग्नयः साग्नयश् च ये

Transliteration

pitaro brahmaṇā sṛṣṭā vyākhyātā ye mayā tava agniṣvāttā barhiṣado 'nagnayaḥ sāgnayaś ca ye

Translation

ಪಿತೃಗಳು ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನಿಂದ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟರು. ನಾನು ನಿನಗೆ ವಿವರಿಸಿದವರು ಅಗ್ನಿಷ್ವಾತ್ತರು ಮತ್ತು ಬರ್ಹಿಷದರು; ಅವರಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಲವರು ಅನಗ್ನಿ (ಅಗ್ನಿರಹಿತ), ಕೆಲವರು ಸಾಗ್ನಿ (ಅಗ್ನಿಯುಕ್ತ) ಆಗಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

Word by Word

• पितरः: the Pitṛs (manes)
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सृष्टाः: created
• सृष्टाः: Kriya (Result/क्रियाफल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु) + त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• व्याख्याताः: explained
• व्याख्याताः: Kriya (Result/क्रियाफल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-आ-ख्या (धातु) + त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘मया’ इति कर्तृ-तृतीया-संबन्धः

• ये: who/which
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent-in-passive/कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तव: to you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अग्निष्वात्ताः: Agniṣvāttas (a class of Pitṛs)
• अग्निष्वात्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि-स्वात्त (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; पितृगण-विशेषनाम; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘अग्निना स्वात्ताः’ (those whose oblation is consumed by fire)

• बर्हिषदः: Barhiṣads (a class of Pitṛs)
• बर्हिषदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बर्हिषद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; पितृगण-विशेषनाम

• अनग्नयः: without sacred fire
• अनग्नयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनग्नि (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (पितरः); समासः—नञ्-तत्पुरुषः: ‘अग्निर् न अस्ति येषाम्’ (without fire)

• साग्नयः: with sacred fire
• साग्नयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक; उपपद-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (पितरः); समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘अग्निसहिताः’ (with fire)

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

• ये: who/which
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Pitṛs
• Agniṣvāttas
• Barhiṣads

FAQs

What is the significance of the Pitṛs (ancestral Fathers) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames the Pitṛs as a created cosmic order under Brahmā, indicating that ancestral beings are an organized part of the universe’s governance, closely linked to dharma and post-death rites.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the classification of Pitṛs here?

Parāśara names two principal groups—Agniṣvāttas and Barhiṣads—and then distinguishes Pitṛs by their relation to ritual fire: some are ‘without fire’ (anagnayaḥ) and others ‘with fire’ (sāgnayaḥ).

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

Even when the verse speaks through Brahmā’s act of creation, the Vishnu Purana’s cosmology treats such ordered hierarchies (like the Pitṛs) as functioning within Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty over cosmic law and continuity.