Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

वर्णानाम् आश्रमाणां च धर्मान् धर्मभृतां वर लोकांश् च सर्ववर्णानां सम्यग्धर्मानुपालिनाम्

Transliteration

varṇānām āśramāṇāṃ ca dharmān dharmabhṛtāṃ vara lokāṃś ca sarvavarṇānāṃ samyagdharmānupālinām

Translation

O best among the upholders of dharma, I shall declare the duties of the varṇas and the āśramas, and the worlds attained by all who rightly preserve dharma.

Word by Word

• वर्णानाम्: of the social classes (varṇas)
• वर्णानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• आश्रमाणाम्: of the life-stages (āśramas)
• आश्रमाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• धर्मान्: duties, laws
• धर्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• धर्मभृताम्: of the upholders of dharma
• धर्मभृताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + भृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—धर्मं बिभ्रति/धारयन्ति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• वर: O excellent one
• वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative/Nominative form), एकवचन; संबोधन (address)

• लोकान्: worlds/realms
• लोकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• सर्ववर्णानाम्: of all the varṇas
• सर्ववर्णानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—सर्वे वर्णाः (कर्मधारय)

• सम्यग्धर्मानुपालिनाम्: of those who properly observe dharma
• सम्यग्धर्मानुपालिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय) + धर्म + अनुपालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—धर्मान् सम्यक् अनुपालयन्ति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Enumeration of varṇa-āśrama duties and the lokas attained by proper observance

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: systematic

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Varṇa and āśrama duties, when rightly performed, regulate society and lead to appropriate loka-attainments.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Translate ‘dharma’ into role-based integrity—do your responsibilities conscientiously, as an offering, without harming others.

Vishishtadvaita: Karma becomes spiritually elevating when integrated into devotion and obedience to the Lord’s ordinance, not as isolated ritualism.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Varṇa
• Āśrama
• Dharma
• Lokas

FAQs

What is the significance of varṇa–āśrama dharma in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames varṇa and āśrama duties as a universal structure of righteousness, linking ethical life to cosmic order and to the spiritual results described as attainment of higher worlds.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between dharma and spiritual attainments?

Parāśara signals that correct observance of dharma is not merely social discipline—it yields definite outcomes (lokas), showing a moral causality operating within the Purāṇic cosmos.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the Vishnu Purana’s framework treats dharma as grounded in the Supreme Reality; living in accord with dharma aligns beings with Vishnu’s sustaining sovereignty (sthiti).