Shloka 21

विष्ण्वाराधन-फलम् तथा वर्णधर्माः

Worship of Vishnu through Varṇa-dharma

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च यथाक्रमम् त्वम् एकाग्रमना भूत्वा शृणु धर्मान् मयोदितान्

Transliteration

brāhmaṇakṣatriyaviśāṃ śūdrāṇāṃ ca yathākramam tvam ekāgramanā bhūtvā śṛṇu dharmān mayoditān

Translation

In due order I shall declare the sacred duties of the Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras. Become single-pointed in mind, and listen to the dharmas as I set them forth.

Word by Word

• brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-viśām: of brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, and vaiśyas
• brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-viśām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक) + viś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (ब्राह्मणाश्च क्षत्रियाश्च विशश्च); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• śūdrāṇām: of śūdras
• śūdrāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• yathā-kramam: in proper sequence
• yathā-kramam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb) — यथाक्रमम् (in due order)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ekāgra-manāḥ: with concentrated mind
• ekāgra-manāḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक) + manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (एकाग्रं मनो यस्य सः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of tvam)

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Pūrvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — भूत्वा (having become)

• śṛṇu: hear, listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• dharmān: duties, dharmas
• dharmān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr̥ (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (by me)

• uditān: spoken/declared
• uditān: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udita (उदित, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √vad/√vac implied in sense ‘said’, but udita from √ud-i ‘risen/uttered’ used idiomatically)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of dharmān)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Varṇa-dharma and āśrama-dharma (requested by Maitreya)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative, structured

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right conduct is taught in ordered sequence, and the student must listen with ekāgratā (single-pointed attention).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate focused attention while studying ethical/religious duties; learn systematically rather than selectively.

Vishishtadvaita: Ekāgratā is a devotional discipline supporting surrender to the Lord’s ordinance, harmonizing personal will with divine law.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Brahmana
• Kshatriya

FAQs

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

This verse frames varna-dharma as an ordered teaching meant to uphold social and moral stability, presented as a structured path of duties to be heard with focused attention.

How does Sage Parāśara explain dharma to Maitreya here?

Parāśara begins by establishing sequence and method: he will enumerate duties varna by varna, and Maitreya is asked to cultivate ekāgratā (single-pointedness) to properly receive the instruction.

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

Even without naming Vishnu directly, the verse supports a core Purāṇic idea: dharma is part of the divinely sustained order of the world, ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s role as the preserver of cosmic harmony.