Shloka 5

गृहस्थस्य सदाचारः: शौच, तर্পण, वैश्वदेव, अतिथिधर्म, भोजन-विधि, संध्योपासन, ऋतु-धर्मः

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मे मुहूर्ते स्वस्थे च मानसे मतिमान् नृप विबुद्धश् चिन्तयेद् धर्मम् अर्थं चास्याविरोधिनम्

Transliteration

brāhme muhūrte svasthe ca mānase matimān nṛpa vibuddhaś cintayed dharmam arthaṃ cāsyāvirodhinam

Translation

O king, when the Brahma-muhūrta has come and the mind is calm and well-composed, the wise and awakened one should contemplate dharma—and also artha, only insofar as it does not oppose dharma.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मे: in the Brahma (auspicious)
• ब्राह्मे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् मुहूर्ते

• मुहूर्ते: at the (early) hour
• मुहूर्ते: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्वस्थे: when (the mind is) calm/healthy
• स्वस्थे: Adhikarana (State/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् मानसे (or locative absolute sense)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मानसे: in the mind
• मानसे: Adhikarana (Location/State/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मतिमान्: the intelligent (one)
• मतिमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मतिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (implicit subject: wise person)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• विबुद्धः: awakened/enlightened
• विबुद्धः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विबुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् मतिमान्

• चिन्तयेत्: should contemplate
• चिन्तयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अर्थम्: wealth/purpose
• अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अस्य: of it/of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्धः—धर्मस्य/अर्थस्य

• अविरोधिनम्: non-conflicting (with it)
• अविरोधिनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविरोधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् अर्थम् (or धर्मम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya, framed as guidance for kings/royal duty)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Daily discipline: at Brahma-muhūrta, with a composed mind, contemplate dharma and pursue artha only when non-opposed to dharma

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: practical and prescriptive

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Begin the day in Brahma-muhūrta with a calm mind, prioritizing contemplation of dharma and pursuing artha only insofar as it harmonizes with dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt a dawn routine: quiet reflection/prayer, set intentions aligned with ethics; treat money and ambition as subordinate tools, refusing gains that compromise integrity.

Vishishtadvaita: Ordered action undertaken in a disciplined mind becomes a form of service to the Lord; artha is legitimate when subordinated to dharma within the Lord’s moral governance.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kings
• Dharma
• Artha
• Brahma-muhurta

FAQs

What is the significance of Brahma-muhurta in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Brahma-muhurta as the ideal pre-dawn time for a ruler’s clear-minded reflection, establishing inner discipline as the basis for righteous governance.

How does Sage Parashara explain the relationship between dharma and artha here?

He permits the pursuit of artha (prosperity and policy) only when it remains avirodhī—never conflicting with dharma—so political success is subordinated to moral order.

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

Even without naming Vishnu directly, the verse assumes dharma as the sustaining cosmic order—classically upheld by Vishnu—so a king’s artha must align with that higher, preserving principle.