Shloka 9

Devanagari script

मेधाग्निबाहुपुत्रास् तु त्रयो योगपरायणाः जातिस्मरा महाभागा न राज्याय मनो दधुः

Transliteration

medhāgnibāhuputrās tu trayo yogaparāyaṇāḥ jātismarā mahābhāgā na rājyāya mano dadhuḥ

Translation

But the three sons of Medhāgnibāhu—great-souled, wholly devoted to Yoga, and endowed with remembrance of former births—did not set their hearts upon kingship.

Word by Word

• मेधाग्निबाहुपुत्राः: sons of Medhāgnibāhu
• मेधाग्निबाहुपुत्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधा + अग्निबाहु + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'sons of Medhā-Agnibāhu' (i.e., of Agnibāhu named Medhā?)

• तु: however/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (particle: 'but/indeed')

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — numeral 'three'

• योगपरायणाः: devoted to yoga
• योगपरायणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — 'devoted to yoga'

• जातिस्मराः: remembering past births
• जातिस्मराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जाति + स्मर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — 'remembering (past) births'

• महाभागाः: highly fortunate
• महाभागाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — 'greatly fortunate/noble'

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• राज्याय: for kingship
• राज्याय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन — 'for kingship'

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — object of 'placed'

• दधुः: placed/turned
• दधुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — 'they placed/held'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: A genealogical note explaining why certain heirs do not take up sovereignty (turn to yoga).

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even within royal lineages, the highest-minded may turn from rājyābhilāṣa to yoga, guided by saṃskāra and jātismaratā (memory of prior births).

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Treat status and career as optional; prioritize inner discipline—meditation, ethical restraint, and remembrance of life’s impermanence.

Vishishtadvaita: Liberation is pursued through surrendered, disciplined yoga; worldly roles are secondary to realizing dependence on the Supreme as the inner ruler and goal.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Vairāgya (dispassion)

Key Kings: Medhāgnibāhu

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Medhāgnibāhu
• Three sons of Medhāgnibāhu
• Kingship (Rājya)

FAQs

What is the significance of jātismara (remembering past births) in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, jātismara indicates heightened spiritual awareness; because they remember prior lives, the princes see the limits of temporal power and turn away from kingship toward Yoga.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the choice between kingship and Yoga here?

Parāśara presents a dynastic moment where legitimate heirs deliberately refuse sovereignty, showing that true greatness can be expressed through renunciation and disciplined spiritual pursuit rather than rule.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purāṇic worldview assumes all sovereignty is subordinate to the Supreme Reality (Vishnu); choosing Yoga over rājya reflects prioritizing liberation and divine order over worldly dominion.