Shloka 40
ध्रुवस्य निर्वेदः — मन्त्रोपदेशः (ॐ नमो वासुदेवाय) तथा विष्ण्वाराधनविधिः
नाहम् अर्थम् अभीप्सामि न राज्यं द्विजसत्तमाः तत् स्थानम् एकम् इच्छामि भुक्तं नान्येन यत् पुरा
nāham artham abhīpsāmi na rājyaṃ dvijasattamāḥ tat sthānam ekam icchāmi bhuktaṃ nānyena yat purā
I do not seek wealth, nor do I desire kingship, O best of the twice-born sages. I ask only for that single place which, in former times, has not been enjoyed by any other.
A king or princely petitioner addressing brāhmaṇa sages (dvijas) in a renunciatory tone; narrated within Parāśara’s discourse to Maitreya
Concept: Worldly aims—artha and rājya—are rejected in favor of a unique ‘place/station’ beyond ordinary enjoyment.
Vedantic Theme: Moksha
Application: Audit your goals: reduce status/possession chasing and set one higher spiritual priority that governs daily choices.
Vishishtadvaita: Mokṣa is implied as a distinct, unsurpassed ‘sthāna’ (parama-pada) not comparable to worldly sovereignty.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: shanta
FAQs
The verse frames ideal rulership as dharma-led restraint: the speaker rejects artha and rājya, seeking instead a rightful, non-contested position—an ethic that curbs greed and legitimizes authority through self-control.
Through exemplars in the royal lineages, Parāśara presents sovereignty as secondary to dharma: kings prosper when they govern without possessiveness and defer to brāhmaṇical counsel, treating power as a trust rather than a prize.
Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purana’s political ethics rest on Vishnu as the supreme upholder of cosmic order—true authority aligns with that order, and renunciation becomes a sign of harmony with the higher reality.