Shloka 2

मानवसर्गः, चातुर्वर्ण्य-गुणकर्म, यज्ञ-प्रतिपादनम्, आश्रमधर्म-फल, नरकवर्णनम्

Devanagari script

यथा च वर्णान् असृजद् यद्गुणांश् च महामुने यच् च तेषां स्मृतं कर्म विप्रादीनां तद् उच्यताम्

Transliteration

yathā ca varṇān asṛjad yadguṇāṃś ca mahāmune yac ca teṣāṃ smṛtaṃ karma viprādīnāṃ tad ucyatām

Translation

And how, O great sage, were the social orders (varṇas) brought forth, with what distinguishing qualities (guṇas)? And what duties are remembered for them—beginning with the brāhmaṇas? Speak all this clearly.

Word by Word

• यथा: how
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/सम्बन्धवाचक (how/as)

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

• वर्णान्: the social classes (varṇas)
• वर्णान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• असृजत्: created
• असृजत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• गुणान्: qualities
• गुणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• यत्: and which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धबोधक (relative)

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

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Generic), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम

• स्मृतम्: traditionally remembered; prescribed
• स्मृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृत (स्मृ-धातुज कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• कर्म: duty; action
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• विप्रादीनाम्: of the brāhmaṇas and others
• विप्रादीनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘विप्र-आदि’ = brāhmaṇas and others

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• उच्यताम्: let it be stated
• उच्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive): ‘let it be said’

Speaker

Maitreya (questioning Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Origin of the varṇas, their guṇa-characteristics, and the remembered duties (smṛta-karma) of brāhmaṇas and others

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: clarificatory

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Social orders are to be understood through their guṇa-dispositions and corresponding dharmas, not merely by name.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Examine one’s tendencies and responsibilities honestly, and align work with sattvic virtues—truthfulness, self-control, and service.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is a real, divinely instituted order within the Lord’s cosmos; individual qualities and duties function as modes of service to Nārāyaṇa.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Parāśara
• Varṇas
• Brāhmaṇas (Vipras)

FAQs

What is the significance of varṇa and prescribed duties in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames varṇa-dharma as part of the created order, asking for the origin, qualities, and traditional duties that sustain societal and cosmic stability.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the origin of social orders (varṇas)?

Here Maitreya requests Parāśara’s account; the Purāṇic method is to describe varṇas as emanating within creation, each marked by distinct guṇas and corresponding karmas.

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

Even when the verse speaks of social duty, it points to a cosmos governed by divine order—where dharma ultimately rests on Vishnu as the supreme ground of creation and regulation.