Shloka 3

विष्ण्वाराधन-फलम् तथा वर्णधर्माः

Worship of Vishnu through Varṇa-dharma

Devanagari script

यत् पृच्छति भवान् एतत् सगरेण महात्मना और्वः प्राह यथा पृष्टस् तन् मे कथयतः शृणु

Transliteration

yat pṛcchati bhavān etat sagareṇa mahātmanā aurvaḥ prāha yathā pṛṣṭas tan me kathayataḥ śṛṇu

Translation

What you ask was once asked by the great-souled King Sagara; and when questioned thus, Sage Aurva replied accordingly. Now listen as I recount it to you.

Word by Word

• यत्: what/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• पृच्छति: (you) ask
• पृच्छति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष/मध्यमपुरुष?; अत्र मध्यमपुरुषार्थे (you ask) — मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (पृच्छसि अपेक्षितम्, परन्तु पाठे पृच्छति)

• भवान्: you (honored sir)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सगरेण: by Sagara
• सगरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• महात्मना: by the great-souled
• महात्मना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सगरेण)

• और्वः: Aurva
• और्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: और्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह्/अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यथा: as, in the manner
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक

• पृष्टः: when asked
• पृष्टः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (और्वः) विशेषणम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मे: to me/for me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कथयतः: (you two) tell
• कथयतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन; (कथयतः = you two tell)

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Introducing an earlier exemplum: Sagara’s query to Aurva about Viṣṇu worship and its results

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The method and fruit of Viṣṇu-worship are validated through an authoritative lineage of inquiry and answer (Sagara → Aurva → Parāśara → Maitreya).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Seek reliable sampradāya-based instruction and test one’s practice against time-honored exemplars rather than novelty.

Vishishtadvaita: Revelation is mediated through trustworthy teachers; devotion is taught as a concrete discipline within a living tradition.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Surya

Key Kings: Sagara

Characters & Entities

• Sage Aurva
• King Sagara
• Maitreya
• Sage Parāśara

FAQs

What is the significance of the Aurva–Sagara dialogue in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse establishes a chain of authoritative transmission: a royal question (Sagara) answered by a sage (Aurva), now retold by Parāśara to Maitreya—framing the coming teaching as time-tested dharma and polity.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept being asked here?

Parāśara signals that he will answer Maitreya by reproducing Aurva’s earlier response to Sagara, using a nested dialogue structure typical of Purāṇas to preserve lineage, context, and doctrinal reliability.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in a given verse, the Purāṇic frame implies that rightful sovereignty and the moral order of dynasties operate under Vishnu’s supreme governance, with sages articulating that order for kings and seekers.