Shloka 26

विष्ण्वाराधन-फलम् तथा वर्णधर्माः

Worship of Vishnu through Varṇa-dharma

Devanagari script

दानानि दद्याद् इच्छातो द्विजेभ्यः क्षत्रियो ऽपि हि यजेच् च विविधैर् यज्ञैर् अधीयीत च पार्थिवः

Transliteration

dānāni dadyād icchāto dvijebhyaḥ kṣatriyo 'pi hi yajec ca vividhair yajñair adhīyīta ca pārthivaḥ

Translation

O king, a Kshatriya too should, of his own will and according to his means, give gifts to the twice-born; let him worship through many kinds of sacrifices and also study the sacred teachings.

Word by Word

• दानानि: gifts
• दानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन — accusative plural; कर्म

• दद्याद्: should give
• दद्याद्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — ‘should give’

• इच्छातः: according to (his) wish
• इच्छातः: Hetu/Source (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन — ablative singular; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘according to desire/voluntarily’

• द्विजेभ्यः: to the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), बहुवचन — dative plural; ‘to Brahmins’

• क्षत्रियः: a Kshatriya
• क्षत्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात — particle ‘also/even’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात — particle ‘indeed/for’

• यजेत्: should perform sacrifice
• यजेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — ‘should sacrifice/worship’

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

• विविधैः: with various
• विविधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — instrumental plural; ‘with various’

• यज्ञैः: sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — instrumental plural; ‘by means of sacrifices’

• अधीयीत: should study
• अधीयीत: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + इ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन — ‘should study (the Veda)’

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

• पार्थिवः: the king
• पार्थिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; ‘king’

Speaker

Sage Parashara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Rāja-dharma: how a kṣatriya sustains sovereignty through dāna, yajña, and adhyayana

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Royal power is dharmic when expressed through generosity to the twice-born, sacrificial worship, and disciplined study of sacred teaching.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use authority and resources for public good, support learning and spiritual institutions, and maintain a personal regimen of study and worship.

Vishishtadvaita: Karma (dāna-yajña) becomes God-oriented service when performed as an offering to Nārāyaṇa, integrating worldly rule with devotion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Kshatriya
• Kings (Pārthiva)
• Dvija (twice-born)
• Yajna (sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the significance of dana (charitable giving) for a king in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents generosity to the twice-born as a core element of raja-dharma: a king’s wealth is purified and made socially constructive through willing gifts, supporting the Vedic order that sustains dharma.

How does Sage Parashara explain the king’s religious responsibilities?

Parashara lists three pillars for a ruler—giving, performing varied yajnas, and study—showing that political power must be disciplined by sacred duty and learning, not merely by force.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the verse assumes dharma as part of the Supreme Lord’s order: the king’s sacrifices and study align governance with the cosmic law that ultimately rests in Vishnu as the sustaining reality.