Shloka 18

विष्ण्वाराधन-फलम् तथा वर्णधर्माः

Worship of Vishnu through Varṇa-dharma

Devanagari script

यस्य रागादिदोषेण न दुष्टं नृप मानसम् विशुद्धचेतसा विष्णुस् तोष्यते तेन सर्वदा

Transliteration

yasya rāgādidoṣeṇa na duṣṭaṃ nṛpa mānasam viśuddhacetasā viṣṇus toṣyate tena sarvadā

Translation

O King, one whose mind is not tainted by faults beginning with attachment, whose awareness remains pure—by that very purity Lord Viṣṇu is pleased at all times.

Word by Word

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• rāga-ādi-doṣeṇa: by the fault(s) such as attachment
• rāga-ādi-doṣeṇa: Karana (Cause/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāga (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; समाहार-तत्पुरुष (rāgādayaḥ doṣāḥ)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• duṣṭam: corrupted/tainted
• duṣṭam: Karta (Predicate qualifier/विशेष्य-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

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

• mānasam: mind
• mānasam: Karta (Subject in nominal clause/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• viśuddha-cetasā: with a purified mind
• viśuddha-cetasā: Karana (Means/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśuddha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (cetas), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (viśuddhaṃ cetas)

• viṣṇuḥ: Vishnu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• toṣyate: is pleased
• toṣyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tuṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• tena: by him/thereby
• tena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• sarvadā: always
• sarvadā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to a king, within the Parāśara–Maitreya narrative frame)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Purity of mind free from rāga and allied doṣas as a means of pleasing Viṣṇu

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu is pleased by the purified mind that is not tainted by attachment and its attendant faults.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Reduce compulsive craving through moderation, self-observation, and devotional remembrance, keeping the mind clear and non-reactive.

Vishishtadvaita: Mental purity prepares the jīva for prapatti/bhakti, enabling loving dependence on the Lord while remaining engaged in dharma.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• King (nṛpa)

FAQs

What is the significance of freedom from rāga (attachment) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents rāga and related inner faults as the primary sources of mental corruption; freedom from them is shown as a direct means of pleasing Viṣṇu, linking inner discipline to spiritual and royal legitimacy.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of the mind in righteous rule?

By addressing the king and centering the teaching on an untainted mind, Parāśara implies that true rāja-dharma begins with self-governance—purity of consciousness precedes just action and stable sovereignty.

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

Viṣṇu is portrayed as the supreme moral and spiritual measure: not merely pleased by ritual or status, but by inner purity—supporting a Vaishnava vision where devotion and sattvic consciousness align the ruler with cosmic order.