Shloka 45
सदाचार-नियमाः: शील, संयम, संग-निषेध, शुचिता, वाणी-नीति, परोपकारः
प्राणिनाम् उपकाराय यद् एवेह परत्र च कर्मणा मनसा वाचा तद् एव मतिमान् भजेत्
prāṇinām upakārāya yad eveha paratra ca karmaṇā manasā vācā tad eva matimān bhajet
Whatever truly serves the welfare of living beings—both here in this world and hereafter—let the wise devote himself to that alone, through deed, through mind, and through speech.
Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Comprehensive dharma: serving beings by body, mind, and speech for welfare here and hereafter
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: compassionate
Concept: The wise should commit—through action, thought, and speech—only to that which genuinely benefits living beings in this life and the next.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Adopt a ‘triple audit’ before choices: does it help by deed, intention, and speech—and does it uplift long-term, not just immediately?
Vishishtadvaita: Service to beings is service to the Lord whose body is the universe (śarīra-śarīrī-bhāva); loka-hita becomes a form of bhagavad-ārādhanā when done with right intention.
Vishnu Form: Vasudeva
Bhakti Type: Dasya
FAQs
This verse defines a core measure of dharma: actions that benefit living beings and yield good both in this world and beyond, making compassion and social good a spiritual criterion.
He frames dharma as integrated discipline—what one does (karma), intends (manas), and speaks (vāc)—so virtue is not merely ritual but consistent ethical alignment.
Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching supports Vaishnava dharma: living in ways that uphold cosmic order and the well-being of beings aligns the devotee with Vishnu’s sustaining sovereignty.