Shloka 19

विष्ण्वाराधन-फलम् तथा वर्णधर्माः

Worship of Vishnu through Varṇa-dharma

Devanagari script

वर्णाश्रमेषु ये धर्माः शास्त्रोक्ता नृपसत्तम तेषु तिष्ठन् नरो विष्णुम् आराधयति नान्यथा

Transliteration

varṇāśrameṣu ye dharmāḥ śāstroktā nṛpasattama teṣu tiṣṭhan naro viṣṇum ārādhayati nānyathā

Translation

O best of kings, the duties enjoined by the scriptures for the varṇas and āśramas—abiding firmly in those very duties, a person worships Lord Viṣṇu; there is no other way.

Word by Word

• varṇa-āśrameṣu: in the varṇas and āśramas
• varṇa-āśrameṣu: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (varṇeṣu ca āśrameṣu ca)

• ye: which
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• dharmāḥ: duties/dharmas
• dharmāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• śāstra-uktāḥ: taught in the scriptures
• śāstra-uktāḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + ukta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (ukta), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śāstrasya uktāḥ)

• nṛpa-sattama: O best of kings
• nṛpa-sattama: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे (श्रेष्ठो नृपः)

• teṣu: in those (duties)
• teṣu: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• tiṣṭhan: abiding/standing (in them)
• tiṣṭhan: Sambandha (Concomitant action/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthā (धातु) → tiṣṭhat (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (while abiding)

• naraḥ: a man
• naraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• viṣṇum: Vishnu
• viṣṇum: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• ārādhayati: worships/propitiates
• ārādhayati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-rādh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

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

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: otherwise)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse; addressing a kingly interlocutor within the narrative frame to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Varṇāśrama-dharma as the scriptural path of ārādhana to Viṣṇu

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Abiding in the śāstra-enjoined duties of one’s varṇa and āśrama is itself the true worship of Viṣṇu, not an alternative path apart from dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Perform your responsibilities with integrity and devotion, offering work and social duty as worship rather than as mere obligation.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhakti is not divorced from embodied duty: the Lord is pleased when the jīva serves within the divinely ordered varṇāśrama framework as an act of śeṣatva (belonging-to-Him).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of varṇāśrama-dharma in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames varṇa and āśrama duties as direct worship of Viṣṇu: living one’s scripturally ordained role becomes a spiritual discipline, not merely social custom.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the right way to worship Viṣṇu here?

Parāśara teaches that devotion is expressed through steadfast adherence to śāstra-prescribed duties; worship is integrated into daily conduct and responsibility.

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

Viṣṇu is presented as the supreme goal and sustainer of dharma, where righteous order in society and personal life becomes a means of approaching the Supreme Reality.