Shloka 27

विष्ण्वाराधन-फलम् तथा वर्णधर्माः

Worship of Vishnu through Varṇa-dharma

Devanagari script

शस्त्राजीवो महीरक्षा प्रवरा तस्य जीविका तस्यापि प्रथमे कल्पे पृथिवीपरिपालनम्

Transliteration

śastrājīvo mahīrakṣā pravarā tasya jīvikā tasyāpi prathame kalpe pṛthivīparipālanam

Translation

His livelihood was tied to the weapon, yet his highest calling was the guarding of the Earth. In that first kalpa, the very work of his life was the protection and governance of the world.

Word by Word

• शस्त्राजीवः: one living by weapons
• शस्त्राजीवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र + आजीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; ‘one whose livelihood is by weapons’

• महीरक्षा: protection of the earth
• महीरक्षा: Karta/Predicate-noun (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; ‘protection of the earth’

• प्रवरा: excellent
• प्रवरा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; agrees with जीविका; ‘excellent’

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

• जीविका: livelihood
• जीविका: Karta/Predicate-noun (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीविका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; predicate ‘livelihood’

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

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

• प्रथमे: in the first
• प्रथमे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; agrees with कल्पे; ‘in the first’

• कल्पे: in the aeon
• कल्पे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; ‘in the age/aeon’

• पृथिवीपरिपालनम्: protection/governance of the earth
• पृथिवीपरिपालनम्: Karta/Predicate-noun (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी + परि + पाल (धातु) + ल्युट् → परिपालन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; क्रियानाम (action-noun) ‘the governing/protecting of the earth’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Rāja-dharma as world-protection and the king’s proper livelihood

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even when a kṣatriya’s means involve weapons, his highest vocation is protection of the Earth—governance as dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Exercise power only as protective responsibility; prioritize public safety, justice, and restraint over aggression.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhūmi is safeguarded as the Lord’s domain; kingship is framed as delegated service within the divine economy of order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Pṛthivī (Earth)
• Kṣatriya (warrior-king ideal)

FAQs

What is the significance of protecting the Earth (mahī-rakṣā) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames kingship as a sacred trust: even if a ruler’s profession involves force, its highest justification is the protection and orderly maintenance of the world.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the warrior’s livelihood in this context?

Parāśara distinguishes between the instrument (weapons) and the true vocation (guardianship): arms are a means, while the dharmic end is preserving the realm and its people.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

By presenting governance as world-maintenance, the verse aligns royal duty with the larger Vishnu-centered order: earthly protection mirrors the sustaining power through which the cosmos is preserved.