Shloka 17

परमार्थ-निर्णयः—श्रेयस्-भेदः, कर्म-ध्यान-सीमा, एकात्मदर्शनम्

Devanagari script

धर्माय त्यज्यते किं तु परमार्थो धनं यदि व्ययश् च क्रियते कस्मात् कामप्राप्त्युपलक्षणः

Transliteration

dharmāya tyajyate kiṃ tu paramārtho dhanaṃ yadi vyayaś ca kriyate kasmāt kāmaprāptyupalakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

If wealth is relinquished for the sake of dharma, then it truly becomes the highest purpose; but if riches are spent for any other end, why praise that outlay as more than a mere sign of desire fulfilled?

Word by Word

• धर्माय: for dharma
• धर्माय: Sampradāna (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदान (for the sake of dharma)

• त्यज्यते: is given up
• त्यज्यते: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): 'is abandoned'

• किम्: why/what
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle: why/what)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (but)

• परमार्थः: the ultimate aim
• परमार्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: परमः अर्थः (कर्मधारय); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र विधेय-नाम (predicate nominal)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional: if)

• व्ययः: expenditure
• व्ययः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• क्रियते: is made
• क्रियते: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): 'is done/made'

• कस्मात्: why/from what reason
• कस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: हेतुप्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (ablatival interrogative: from what cause/why)

• कामप्राप्त्युपलक्षणः: a sign/indicator of attaining desires
• कामप्राप्त्युपलक्षणः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम-प्राप्ति-उपलक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कामस्य प्राप्तिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + तस्य उपलक्षणम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: what makes giving/renunciation truly ‘paramārtha’ rather than desire-fulfillment

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Wealth relinquished for dharma becomes truly purposive, but expenditure driven by desire is merely a mark of kāma’s attainment, not the highest end.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice dana and consumption with examined motives—align resources to service, duty, and spiritual growth rather than status or craving.

Vishishtadvaita: Ethical action gains spiritual value when subordinated to the Supreme end (service to the Lord and His order), not when centered on egoic enjoyment.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Artha
• Kāma

FAQs

What is the significance of using wealth for dharma in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that wealth becomes truly purposeful only when it is relinquished or spent for dharma; otherwise, spending is merely an outward marker of fulfilled desire.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the difference between dharmic and desire-based spending?

Parāśara contrasts renunciation or giving for dharma (paramārtha) with expenditure aimed at kāma, which he treats as spiritually insignificant—only evidence that one’s craving has been satisfied.

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

Though Vishnu is not named here, the verse reflects the Purana’s Vaishnava ethic: human pursuits (artha and kāma) gain legitimacy only when aligned with dharma—the cosmic order ultimately grounded in the Supreme Reality, Vishnu.