Shloka 5

ऋभु-निदाघ-संवादः — अधः-ऊर्ध्व-दृष्टान्तेन अद्वैतबोधः (राजा-गज-उपमा) तथा मोक्षफलश्रुति

Devanagari script

भो विप्र जनसंमर्दो महान् एष नरेश्वरे प्रविविक्षौ पुरं रम्यं तेनात्र स्थीयते मया

Transliteration

bho vipra janasaṃmardo mahān eṣa nareśvare pravivikṣau puraṃ ramyaṃ tenātra sthīyate mayā

Translation

“O brāhmaṇa, there is a great press of people around the king. Since he is about to enter that splendid city, I shall remain here for the time being.”

Word by Word

• भो: O!
• भो: Sambodhana-marker (सम्बोधन-चिह्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• विप्र: O brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• जनसंमर्दः: crowd/throng of people
• जनसंमर्दः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक) + संमर्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (जनानां संमर्दः)

• महान्: great
• महान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'जनसंमर्दः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'जनसंमर्दः' इत्यस्य निर्देशः

• नरेश्वरे: in the king's (city/realm)
• नरेश्वरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्रविविक्षौ: (I) wishing to enter
• प्रविविक्षौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + वि + विश् (धातु) → प्रविविक्षु (इच्छार्थक कृदन्त)
• Form: इच्छार्थक कृदन्त (तुमुन्-अर्थे/उ-प्रत्ययान्त: -इक्षु), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वक्तृ-स्वरूपेण (I, wishing to enter)

• पुरम्: the city
• पुरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of entering)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• रम्यम्: beautiful
• रम्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'पुरम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तेन: therefore/for that reason
• तेन: Hetu (हेतु/Reason-instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (therefore/for that reason)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• स्थीयते: is stood/I stand
• स्थीयते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

• मया: by me/I
• मया: Karta (कर्ता/Agent in passive; by me)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्तृवाचक (agent)

Speaker

A brāhmaṇa/learned person addressing another brāhmaṇa (vipra) within the royal narrative (as related by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nidāgha explains he stands aside due to the crowd around the king entering the splendid city.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avoiding the press of people and royal spectacle reflects a deliberate guarding of the mind from distraction and desire.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Set boundaries with overstimulating environments; practice mindful withdrawal when status-display or crowd-energy agitates the mind.

Vishishtadvaita: Detachment is not world-negation but disciplined engagement under dharma, preparing the self for God-centered knowledge and devotion.

Characters & Entities

• King (Nareśvara)
• Brāhmaṇa (Vipra)

FAQs

What is the significance of the crowd around the king in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals royal sovereignty and public order: the king’s movements draw the people, reflecting the social structure and the king’s central role in sustaining dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain royal protocol in dynastic sections of the Vishnu Purana?

Through brief narrative details—like a king’s ceremonial city-entry and the surrounding crowds—Parāśara conveys how rājadharma operates in public life, embedding ethics within genealogy and history.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in a verse, the dynastic narrative presumes divine order: rightful kingship and societal harmony are understood as functioning within Vishnu’s cosmic sovereignty (dharma upheld under the Supreme).