Shloka 8

सदाचार-नियमाः: शील, संयम, संग-निषेध, शुचिता, वाणी-नीति, परोपकारः

Devanagari script

नावगाहेज् जलौघस्य वेगम् अग्रे नरेश्वर प्रदीप्तं वेश्म न विशेन् नारोहेच् छिखरं तरोः

Transliteration

nāvagāhej jalaughasya vegam agre nareśvara pradīptaṃ veśma na viśen nārohec chikharaṃ taroḥ

Translation

O lord of men, do not plunge into the rushing current of a flood; do not enter a house that is ablaze; and do not climb to the top of a tree. Thus the wise avoid needless peril, preserving life for dharma and the higher good upheld under the sovereignty of the Supreme, Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• अवगाहेत्: should plunge into
• अवगाहेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√गाह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should enter/plunge into’

• जलौघस्य: of the flood of water
• जलौघस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + ओघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘जलस्य ओघः’ = flood/stream of water

• वेगम्: the force/current
• वेगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अग्रे: ahead/in front
• अग्रे: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत्; सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपे अव्ययप्रयोगः (in front/ahead)

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• नरेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘नराणाम् ईश्वरः’

• प्रदीप्तम्: blazing
• प्रदीप्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-दीप्त (कृदन्त; √दीप् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) = blazing

• वेश्म: a house
• वेश्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• विशेत्: should enter
• विशेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√विश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should enter’

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• आरोहेत्: should climb
• आरोहेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√रुह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should climb’

• शिखरम्: the top/peak
• शिखरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तरोः: of a tree
• तरोः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya, within dharma/nīti teaching)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Rules of prudent conduct that protect life as an instrument for dharma under the Supreme Lord

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avoid needless physical peril, preserving the body as a support for dharma, which stands under the sovereignty of the Supreme (Viṣṇu).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice risk-awareness and non-recklessness; protect health and life so spiritual and ethical duties can be fulfilled.

Vishishtadvaita: The body and worldly order are to be used in service of the Lord; prudence is part of dharma-oriented living under Nārāyaṇa’s rule.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• King (Nareśvara)

FAQs

What is the significance of practical nīti (prudence) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames dharma as also practical: the wise avoid obvious hazards (flood-currents, fire, unsafe heights) so that life and duty are not squandered through needless risk.

How does Sage Parāśara explain right conduct for a ruler (nareśvara) here?

By giving concrete prohibitions against reckless acts, Parāśara teaches that a king’s steadiness and self-control are essential for protecting subjects and sustaining social order.

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

Even when the verse is practical, its dharma-setting assumes a cosmos governed by the Supreme; preserving life and order supports the pursuit of righteous duty that ultimately aligns with Viṣṇu as the sustaining Reality.