Shloka 62
धर्मज्ञाश् च कृतज्ञाश् च दयावान् प्रियभाषकः मान्यान् मानयिता यज्वा ब्रह्मण्यः साधुवत्सलः
dharmajñāś ca kṛtajñāś ca dayāvān priyabhāṣakaḥ mānyān mānayitā yajvā brahmaṇyaḥ sādhuvatsalaḥ
He is a knower of dharma and one who remembers kindness with gratitude; compassionate, and gentle in speech. He honors those who are worthy of honor, performs sacred sacrifices, is devoted to the brahmins, and cherishes the virtuous as a father cherishes his own children.
Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: How a righteous king sustains dharma through gratitude, compassion, yajña, and honoring the worthy.
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: norm-setting
Concept: Honoring the virtuous, serving brāhmaṇas, and sustaining yajña are presented as social expressions of devotion that stabilize dharma.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Practice gratitude and kind speech; support ethical learning and community rites; protect and uplift those devoted to truth.
Vishishtadvaita: Bhakti is embodied through service to Bhagavān’s devotees and Vedic order (bhāgavata-sevā and brahmaṇya as concrete devotion).
Dharma Exemplar: Brahmaṇyatā (reverence for Veda and brāhmaṇas)
Key Kings: Pṛthu
Vishnu Form: Narayana
Bhakti Type: dasya
FAQs
This verse frames kingship as a moral office: the ruler sustains order through dharma-knowledge, gratitude, compassion, respectful conduct, sacrifice, and protection of the virtuous.
Through a virtue-list typical of rāja-dharma teaching, Parāśara presents the ideal ruler as gentle in speech, honoring the honorable, upholding yajña and brahminical duty, and caring for sādhus—thereby aligning governance with sacred order.
Even without naming Vishnu directly, the verse reflects Vaishnava theology: true sovereignty mirrors Vishnu’s sustaining power by protecting dharma, supporting yajña, and nurturing the righteous within the cosmic order he upholds.