Shloka 3

Devanagari script

ऋत्विक्स्वस्रीयदौहित्रजामातृश्वशुरास् तथा मातुलो ऽथ तपोनिष्ठः पञ्चाग्न्यभिरतस् तथा शिष्याः संबन्धिनश् चैव मातापितृरतश् च यः

Transliteration

ṛtviksvasrīyadauhitrajāmātṛśvaśurās tathā mātulo 'tha taponiṣṭhaḥ pañcāgnyabhiratas tathā śiṣyāḥ saṃbandhinaś caiva mātāpitṛrataś ca yaḥ

Translation

ผู้ควรเคารพ ได้แก่ ฤตวิก (พราหมณ์ผู้ประกอบพิธี), บุตรของพี่น้องหญิง, หลานชายจากบุตรี, ลูกเขย, พ่อตา และลุงฝ่ายมารดา; อีกทั้งผู้มั่นในตบะ ผู้ประกอบไฟศักดิ์สิทธิ์ทั้งห้า ศิษย์และญาติ—โดยเฉพาะผู้ปรนนิบัติบิดามารดาด้วยภักติ.

Word by Word

• ऋत्विक्: sacrificial priests
• ऋत्विक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural, Masculine)

• स्वस्रीय: sister’s sons (nephews)
• स्वस्रीय: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वस्रीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural, Masculine)

• दौहित्र: daughter’s sons (grandsons)
• दौहित्र: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दौहित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural, Masculine)

• जामातृ: sons-in-law
• जामातृ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जामातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural, Masculine)

• श्वशुराः: fathers-in-law
• श्वशुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वशुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural, Masculine)

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अन्वय-अव्यय (conjunctive/adverbial indeclinable: 'also/and')

• मातुलः: maternal uncle
• मातुलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular, Masculine)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable indicating sequence: 'then/next')

• तपोनिष्ठः: one devoted to austerity
• तपोनिष्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + निष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular, Masculine); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive-determinative: 'steadfast in austerity')

• पञ्चाग्न्यभिरतः: one engaged in the five fires (pañcāgni) observance
• पञ्चाग्न्यभिरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिरत (कृदन्त; √रम् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular, Masculine); पञ्च-अग्नि इति षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-तत्पुरुष-समासपूर्वकः; अभिरत = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अन्वय-अव्यय (conjunctive/adverbial indeclinable)

• शिष्याः: disciples
• शिष्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural, Masculine)

• संबन्धिनः: relations/kinsmen
• संबन्धिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संबन्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural, Masculine)

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

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• मातापितृरतः: devoted to mother and father
• मातापितृरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माता (प्रातिपदिक) + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (कृदन्त; √रम् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular, Masculine); माता-पितृ इति द्वन्द्व-समास; रत = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

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

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular, Masculine); सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Qualifications and honorific priority of persons to be respected/selected in śrāddha and related dharma

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma requires honoring specific relations and sacred roles—especially service to mother and father—as a foundation for ritual propriety and social order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Prioritize gratitude and service to parents/elders and treat teachers, priests, and close kin with tangible respect rather than mere verbal piety.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma as Bhagavad-ājñā: ethical duties are not autonomous but function as service within the Lord-governed order.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• ṛtvik (officiating priest)
• svasrīya (sister’s son)
• dauhitra (daughter’s son)
• jāmātṛ (son-in-law)
• śvaśura (father-in-law)
• mātula (maternal uncle)
• pañcāgni (five sacred fires)

FAQs

What is the significance of listing specific relatives and priests in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse defines a dharmic hierarchy of whom to honor in rites like śrāddha/dāna—linking ritual merit to proper social and familial relationships, with special emphasis on those embodying Vedic duty and discipline.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of austerity and the pañcāgni vow in dharma?

By naming the taponiṣṭha and pañcāgnyabhirata among those worthy of honor, Parāśara indicates that inner discipline and sustained sacred practice elevate a person’s ritual and ethical standing in society.

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

Even when the verse focuses on social duty, the Vishnu Purana frames dharma as part of cosmic order upheld by Vishnu; honoring rightful persons and serving parents becomes a lived expression of that divinely sustained order.