Shloka 16

सप्तद्वीप-समुद्र-प्रमाणम्: प्लक्षादि-द्वीपवर्णनं, लोकालोक-सीमा, चन्द्र-समुद्र-वृद्धिक्षयः

Devanagari script

वर्णाश् च तत्र चत्वारस् तान् निबोध वदामि ते

Transliteration

varṇāś ca tatra catvāras tān nibodha vadāmi te

Translation

Within that ordained order there are four varṇas; understand them well—now I shall declare them to you.

Word by Word

• वर्णाः: classes (varṇas)
• वर्णाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• निबोध: know/understand
• निबोध: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध् (धातु) + नि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• वदामि: I tell
• वदामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th) एकवचन (Singular) / चतुर्थी-रूपेण (Dative/4th) एकवचन; प्रचलितं ‘to you/for you’ अर्थे

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Sacred geography and the ordained social order (varṇa) within the dvīpas/varṣas

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Society is presented as an ordained fourfold varṇa-structure to be understood as part of dharmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Study one’s duties and cultivate conduct that supports social harmony and spiritual practice.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is framed as service within the Lord’s ordered cosmos, aligning individual function with the whole.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of the four varnas in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse introduces the four varnas as an intentional ordering within dharma, implying that social duties are meant to support stability and righteous living.

How does Sage Parāśara explain dharma to Maitreya in this section?

Parāśara frames dharma as something to be systematically understood; here he signals a structured explanation, beginning with the four varnas.

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

Even when discussing social order, the Vishnu Purana treats dharma as part of the larger cosmic governance ultimately rooted in the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—as the sustaining principle.