Shloka 48

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणाद्याश् च ये वर्णाः स्वधर्माद् अन्यतोमुखम् यान्ति ते नग्नसंज्ञां तु हीनकर्मस्व् अवस्थिताः

Transliteration

brāhmaṇādyāś ca ye varṇāḥ svadharmād anyatomukham yānti te nagnasaṃjñāṃ tu hīnakarmasv avasthitāḥ

Translation

Those social orders beginning with the Brāhmaṇas who turn away from their own svadharma and move toward other paths are called “nagna,” for they stand established in degraded deeds.

Word by Word

ब्राह्मणाद्याःBrahmins and the others (beginning with Brahmins)

चand

येwho

वर्णाःsocial classes (varṇas)

स्वधर्मात्from one’s own duty

अन्यतोमुखम्toward another direction/with face turned elsewhere

यान्तिgo

तेthey

नग्नसंज्ञाम्the designation ‘nagna’ (naked/renouncer)

तुbut/indeed

हीनकर्मसुin inferior/low acts

अवस्थिताःsituated/remaining

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Consequences of varṇa-dharma transgression and the rise of heterodox/degenerate conduct

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Turning away from one’s svadharma is portrayed as a fall into hīna-karma and a socially stigmatized state (“nagna”).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat duty as integrity-in-action: uphold role-responsibilities and avoid rationalizing unethical shortcuts as ‘spiritual’ alternatives.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is framed as Bhagavat-ājñā (the Lord’s ordinance) sustaining social-spiritual order; deviation disrupts one’s relation to the divine will.

Characters & Entities

Brāhmaṇa

Varṇas

Svadharma

FAQs

What is the significance of svadharma in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames svadharma as the stabilizing duty of each varna; abandoning it is portrayed as a fall into “hīna” (degraded) conduct that disrupts moral and social order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain deviation from one’s prescribed role?

Parāśara describes it as ‘anyatomukha’—turning away from one’s rightful orientation—resulting in a stigmatized status (‘nagna-saṃjñā’) associated with inferior actions.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching rests on Vaishnava dharma: sustaining the divine order that Vishnu upholds through cosmic sovereignty and moral law.