Shloka 40
सदाचार-नियमाः: शील, संयम, संग-निषेध, शुचिता, वाणी-नीति, परोपकारः
दोषहेतून् अशेषांश् च वश्यात्मा यो निरस्यति तस्य धर्मार्थकामानां हानिर् नाल्पापि जायते
doṣahetūn aśeṣāṃś ca vaśyātmā yo nirasyati tasya dharmārthakāmānāṃ hānir nālpāpi jāyate
He whose self is under control and who casts away, without remainder, all causes of fault and downfall—for him there arises not even the slightest loss of dharma, artha, and kāma.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: self-mastery: removing all causes of doṣa so that dharma, artha, and kāma are not diminished
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: authoritative
Concept: When the self is mastered and the roots of fault are eliminated, one’s pursuit of dharma, artha, and kāma remains unharmed and balanced.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Identify personal triggers for ethical lapses (anger, greed, intoxication, deceit) and remove them systematically through vows, accountability, and daily discipline.
Vishishtadvaita: Self-mastery protects righteous living that culminates in bhakti; purifying conduct is an auxiliary (aṅga) enabling stable surrender and service to the Lord.
Vishnu Form: Hari
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
This verse teaches that eliminating the roots of vice through self-mastery prevents the decline of the three human aims—dharma, artha, and kāma—so life remains aligned with moral and cosmic order.
Parāśara presents self-mastery as the capacity to reject every source of inner defect; such mastery safeguards one’s righteous living, legitimate prosperity, and disciplined enjoyment.
While Vishnu is not named in this line, the teaching reflects Vaishnava dharma: inner governance sustains the divinely ordered aims of life, consistent with Vishnu as the upholder of ṛta/dharma and universal stability.