Shloka 2

पुंसां क्रिया-विभागः, संस्काराः, नामकरणम्, विवाहविधानम्

Devanagari script

नित्यां नैमित्तिकीं काम्यां क्रियां पुंसाम् अशेषतः समाख्याहि भृगुश्रेष्ठ सर्वज्ञो ह्य् असि मे मतः

Transliteration

nityāṃ naimittikīṃ kāmyāṃ kriyāṃ puṃsām aśeṣataḥ samākhyāhi bhṛguśreṣṭha sarvajño hy asi me mataḥ

Translation

O best of the Bhṛgu line, tell me fully, leaving nothing out, the threefold sacred duties of men—daily (nitya), occasional (naimittika), and desire-motivated (kāmya)—for I deem you truly all-knowing.

Word by Word

• नित्याम्: daily, constant
• नित्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• नैमित्तिकीम्: occasional (due to a cause)
• नैमित्तिकीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• काम्याम्: desire-motivated, optional
• काम्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• क्रियाम्: ritual act, rite
• क्रियाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुंसाम्: of men, of people
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• अशेषतः: completely, without remainder
• अशेषतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• समाख्याहि: tell, explain
• समाख्याहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• भृगुश्रेष्ठ: O best of the Bhṛgus
• भृगुश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भृगूणां श्रेष्ठः)

• सर्वज्ञः: omniscient (one)
• सर्वज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वं जानाति इति)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (particle), हेत्वर्थ/बलार्थ

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मे: my, of me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• मतः: considered (by me)
• मतः: Predicate complement (विशेष्य-विशेषण भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘मत’ = अभिमत/विचारित (considered)

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Classification and full exposition of human rites (nitya, naimittika, kāmya) and their proper performance

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: inquisitive, reverent

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Human dharma is structured as daily, occasional, and desire-motivated rites, and must be learned from authoritative seers.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Keep a stable daily discipline, observe life-event/seasonal duties when they arise, and examine desire-driven actions for alignment with dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Ritual action is meaningful when oriented toward the Lord as the inner ruler, integrating worldly life with surrender (śeṣatva).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Parāśara
• Bhṛgu lineage

FAQs

What is the significance of nitya, naimittika, and kāmya karma in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames a core dharma teaching: human rites are classed as daily obligations (nitya), occasion-based duties (naimittika), and result-seeking practices (kāmya), establishing a structured approach to religious life.

How does Sage Parāśara explain ritual duty in response to Maitreya?

Maitreya requests a complete exposition, indicating that Parāśara’s teaching will be systematic—covering all categories of prescribed action and their proper application within dharma.

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

Even when the verse discusses ritual categories, the Vishnu Purana’s underlying premise is that dharma and cosmic order ultimately rest upon Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty, with right action aligning the practitioner to that order.