Shloka 16

प्रचेतसां तपः तथा विष्णु-स्तुतिः

The Pracetases’ Ocean Tapas and Hymn to Vishnu

Devanagari script

धर्मम् अर्थं च कामं च मोक्षं चान्विच्छता सदा आराधनीयो भगवान् अनादिः पुरुषोत्तमः

Transliteration

dharmam arthaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca mokṣaṃ cānvicchatā sadā ārādhanīyo bhagavān anādiḥ puruṣottamaḥ

Translation

For one who ever seeks dharma, artha, kāma, and even mokṣa, the Lord—Bhagavān, beginningless and the Supreme Person—alone is to be worshipped.

Word by Word

• धर्मम्: dharma; righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अर्थम्: wealth; purpose
• अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• कामम्: desire; pleasure
• कामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• अन्विच्छता: by (one) seeking
• अन्विच्छता: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-√इष्/√इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययः), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सम्भव; ‘by one who seeks’

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• आराधनीयः: to be worshipped; worthy of worship
• आराधनीयः: Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√राध् (धातु) + अनीय (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (अनीय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (predicate adjective)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अनादिः: beginningless
• अनादिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies भगवान्)

• पुरुषोत्तमः: the Supreme Person
• पुरुषोत्तमः: Karta (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘उत्तमः पुरुषः’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For all four puruṣārthas—dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa—the beginningless Puruṣottama alone is the proper object of worship.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Align goals (career, relationships, ethics, liberation) with daily Vishnu-upasana, treating Him as the single integrating center of life.

Vishishtadvaita: Puruṣottama is both the giver of finite aims and the grantor of mokṣa—one Lord with many modes of grace to dependent souls.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of the four Purusharthas in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames all four human aims—dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa—as ultimately secured by worship of the beginningless Supreme Lord, making devotion the integrating principle of a complete life.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the right object of worship?

Parāśara states that the one who seeks any of life’s goals should worship Bhagavān alone—Purushottama—implying that all results, worldly and transcendent, depend on the Supreme Person.

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

Vishnu is identified as Bhagavān and Purushottama—beginningless and supreme—establishing him as the highest reality and the proper refuge for both prosperity and liberation in Vaishnava philosophy.