Shloka 12

सोमचक्रः, ग्रह-रथाः, ध्रुवबन्धनं, शिशुमारसंनिवेशः, विष्णु-सर्वात्मकता

Moon, Planets, Dhruva-Tethering, Śiśumāra, and Vishnu as All

Devanagari script

पिबन्ति द्विकलं सोमं शिष्टा तस्य कला तु या सुधामृतमयी पुण्या ताम् इन्दोः पितरो मुने

Transliteration

pibanti dvikalaṃ somaṃ śiṣṭā tasya kalā tu yā sudhāmṛtamayī puṇyā tām indoḥ pitaro mune

Translation

Eles bebem o Soma em medida dupla; e a porção restante de seu raio—santa, feita de néctar e ambrosia—ó sábio, os Pitṛ a fruem como parte pertencente à Lua.

Word by Word

• पिबन्ति: they drink
• पिबन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• द्विकलम्: two parts/portions (two digits)
• द्विकलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• सोमम्: Soma (moon/nectar)
• सोमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• शिष्टाः: the remaining ones / those left
• शिष्टाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्ट (कृदन्त; √शास् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used substantively)

• तस्य: of that (of him/it)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (masc/neut), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular)

• कलाः: digits/parts
• कलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• या: which
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• सुधामृतमयी: consisting of nectar (ambrosial)
• सुधामृतमयी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुधा + अमृत + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• पुण्या: holy/meritorious
• पुण्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• ताम्: that (her/it)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• इन्दोः: of the Moon
• इन्दोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular)

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

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Lunar nourishment economy: how Soma's rays distribute sustenance to Devas and Pitṛs

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cosmic sustenance is apportioned through Soma’s kalās so that each class of beings receives its ordained share.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Align offerings and observances with lunar phases (e.g., śrāddha timing) while cultivating reverence for cosmic order.

Vishishtadvaita: Ordered distribution implies a purposeful Lord-governed cosmos where beings depend on divine ordinance rather than mere chance.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Soma (Chandra/Indu)
• Pitṛs (ancestral fathers)

FAQs

What is the significance of Soma (the Moon) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Soma as a cosmic reservoir of nectar whose portions are apportioned to different beings, showing the Moon’s role in sustaining the ritual-cosmic order and the worlds connected with ancestors.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Moon’s ‘kalā’ (portion/phase) here?

Parāśara describes Soma as having divisible portions (kalā), where a remaining, especially pure ambrosial portion is designated for the Pitṛs—linking lunar phases with metaphysical and ritual distribution.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the teaching assumes a Vishnu-governed cosmic order in which celestial bodies and their essences function as instruments of universal sovereignty and dharma.