Shloka 25

विष्ण्वाराधन-फलम् तथा वर्णधर्माः

Worship of Vishnu through Varṇa-dharma

Devanagari script

ग्राव्णि रत्ने च पारक्ये समबुद्धिर् भवेद् द्विजः ऋताव् अभिगमः पत्न्यां शस्यते चास्य पार्थिव

Transliteration

grāvṇi ratne ca pārakye samabuddhir bhaved dvijaḥ ṛtāv abhigamaḥ patnyāṃ śasyate cāsya pārthiva

Translation

O King, a twice-born man should keep an even mind toward a mere stone, a jewel, and another’s wealth; and he is commended to approach his own wife only in her proper season.

Word by Word

• ग्राव्णि: in a stone
• ग्राव्णि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रावन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; अर्थे: ‘in a stone’

• रत्ने: in a jewel
• रत्ने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; ‘in a jewel’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय — conjunction ‘and’

• पारक्ये: in another’s (property)
• पारक्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; ‘in what belongs to another/another’s (property)’

• समबुद्धिः: equal-mindedness
• समबुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; ‘equal-mindedness’

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — ‘should be/ought to be’

• द्विजः: a twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• ऋतौ: in the proper season
• ऋतौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; ‘in the (proper) season’

• अभिगमः: approach (conjugal union)
• अभिगमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभि + गम् (धातु) + घञ् → अभिगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; क्रियानाम (action-noun) ‘approach/sexual union’

• पत्न्याम्: with/in (one’s) wife
• पत्न्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; ‘in/with one’s wife’

• शस्यते: is commended
• शस्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — passive sense ‘is praised/commended’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय — conjunction ‘and’

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — genitive singular; ‘of him/for him’

• पार्थिव: O king
• पार्थिव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — vocative singular; ‘O king’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya; addressed here as ‘O King’ in the verse’s vocative style)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Rāja-dharma and the proper conduct of varṇas (especially restraint and purity for the twice-born)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A dvija should cultivate detachment from objects and others’ wealth and observe regulated marital conduct to sustain dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice non-possessiveness and ethical boundaries; treat gain and loss with even-mindedness and honor commitments with self-control.

Vishishtadvaita: Ethical discipline is presented as service to the Lord’s cosmic order (niyati), aligning the individual will with the divine governance.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Dvija
• King (Pārthiva)

FAQs

What is the significance of equanimity toward stone, gem, and others’ wealth in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse teaches samabuddhi—training the mind not to be driven by value-judgments and greed—so that desire and covetousness do not disturb dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain disciplined household life in this context?

He frames household conduct as regulated: desire is restrained, and marital relations are recommended only in the proper season, aligning personal life with dharmic order.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when discussing social ethics, the Purāṇa implies that dharma is the visible order upheld under Vishnu’s supreme governance; self-mastery supports devotion and liberation.