Shloka 20

ध्रुवस्य तपः — देवमायाविघ्नाः, विष्णोर्दर्शनम्, स्तुतिः, ध्रुवस्थानप्रदानम्

Devanagari script

मत्प्रीतिः परमो धर्मो वयोवस्थाक्रियाक्रमम् अनुवर्तस्व मा मोहं निवर्तास्माद् अधर्मतः

Transliteration

matprītiḥ paramo dharmo vayovasthākriyākramam anuvartasva mā mohaṃ nivartāsmād adharmataḥ

Translation

“My satisfaction is the highest dharma. Therefore, follow the rightful sequence of duties appropriate to each age and stage of life. Do not succumb to delusion; turn back from this path of unrighteousness.”

Word by Word

• मत्प्रीतिः: my pleasure (being pleased)
• मत्प्रीतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्-प्रिति (प्रातिपदिक; मत् + प्रीति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'my satisfaction/pleasure'

• परमः: supreme
• परमः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying dharmaḥ)

• धर्मः: duty, dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वयोवस्थाक्रियाक्रमम्: the order of duties according to age and stage
• वयोवस्थाक्रियाक्रमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस्-अवस्था-क्रिया-क्रम (प्रातिपदिक; वयस् + अवस्था + क्रिया + क्रम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समाहार/निर्देशार्थक समास-समूह (sequence of actions according to age and stage)

• अनुवर्तस्व: follow
• अनुवर्तस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद: 'follow'

• मा: do not
• मा: Sambandha (Prohibition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक (prohibitive particle)

• मोहम्: delusion
• मोहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निवर्त: turn back, desist
• निवर्त: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद: 'turn back, desist'

• अस्मात्: from this
• अस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (ablative), एकवचन

• अधर्मतः: from unrighteousness
• अधर्मतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ/अपादाने (from adharma)

Speaker

A senior authority figure instructing a dependent (contextually within Parāśara’s narration to Maitreya; the verse itself is direct speech of an elder admonishing proper dharma).

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How adharma can masquerade as dharma through claims of authority

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A false authority claims that pleasing him is the highest dharma and urges conformity to life-stage duties, branding true renunciation as adharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Test ‘dharma’ claims by scripture and conscience; do not equate power’s approval with righteousness.

Vishishtadvaita: Implied corrective: the highest dharma is Bhagavat-prīti (pleasing Viṣṇu), not any finite lord—supporting Viṣṇu’s supreme lordship (śeṣin) over all beings.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Persecution

Bhakti Quality: Loyalty to Viṣṇu over coercive ‘dharma’ defined by power

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Moha (delusion)

FAQs

What is the significance of “matprītiḥ paramo dharmaḥ” in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames dharma as ultimately God-oriented: the highest righteousness is that which pleases the Supreme, not merely social custom or personal preference.

How does the Vishnu Purana connect life-stages with dharma in this verse?

It emphasizes vayo-avasthā-kriyā-krama—duties must be performed in their proper order according to one’s age and stage, so conduct remains aligned with the larger moral and cosmic order.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

By defining the highest dharma as that which pleases the Supreme, the verse reflects a Vaishnava principle: righteousness culminates in devotion and obedience to divine order, with adharma arising from moha (delusion).