Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

यज्ञनिष्पत्तये सर्वम् एतद् ब्रह्मा चकार वै चातुर्वर्ण्यं महाभाग यज्ञसाधनम् उत्तमम्

Transliteration

yajñaniṣpattaye sarvam etad brahmā cakāra vai cāturvarṇyaṃ mahābhāga yajñasādhanam uttamam

Translation

For the full accomplishment of yajña, Brahmā fashioned all this, O noble one, and established the cāturvarṇya as the highest means by which sacrifice is upheld and brought to fruition.

Word by Word

• यज्ञनिष्पत्तये: for the accomplishment of sacrifice
• यज्ञनिष्पत्तये: Sampradana (Purpose/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + निष्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान/for-purpose, Dative), एकवचन; 'यज्ञस्य निष्पत्तिः'

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चकार: made, established
• चकार: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/एव-अर्थक (emphatic particle)

• चातुर्वर्ण्यम्: the fourfold order
• चातुर्वर्ण्यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्वर्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'महान् भागः यस्य' (honorific)

• यज्ञसाधनम्: a means for sacrifice
• यज्ञसाधनम्: Karma (Object/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'यज्ञस्य साधनम्'

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (यज्ञसाधनम् इति)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Why cāturvarṇya was instituted and its relation to yajña

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cāturvarṇya is framed as a dharmic instrument whose highest aim is the successful performance of yajña for cosmic welfare.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Offer work as service (yajña-spirit), prioritizing integrity and the common good over self-centered gain.

Vishishtadvaita: Karma becomes meaningful when offered to the Supreme; differentiated duties can converge as a single sacrificial orientation.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Cāturvarṇya
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the significance of cāturvarṇya in the Vishnu Purana?

Here it is presented as a structural support for yajña—an ordering of duties meant to ensure the successful functioning of sacrificial and dharmic life.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the purpose of social order in this context?

Parāśara frames it pragmatically: Brahmā institutes the fourfold order specifically so that yajña—seen as a key mechanism of cosmic and societal harmony—can be properly accomplished.

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

Even when Brahmā is described as instituting arrangements, the Purāṇic framework treats such creation as operating within the higher sovereignty of the Supreme—Vishnu as the ultimate ground of order that yajña serves and reflects.