Shloka 31

विष्ण्वाराधन-फलम् तथा वर्णधर्माः

Worship of Vishnu through Varṇa-dharma

Devanagari script

तस्याप्य् अध्ययनं यज्ञो दानं धर्मश् च शस्यते नित्यनैमित्तिकादीनाम् अनुष्ठानं च कर्मणाम्

Transliteration

tasyāpy adhyayanaṃ yajño dānaṃ dharmaś ca śasyate nityanaimittikādīnām anuṣṭhānaṃ ca karmaṇām

Translation

For him too, the study of sacred teaching is praised—along with sacrifice, charity, and righteous conduct—and the faithful observance of daily and occasional rites and other prescribed duties.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/for him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/also)

• अध्ययनम्: study
• अध्ययनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्ययन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यज्ञः: sacrifice
• यज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दानम्: giving (charity)
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• शस्यते: is enjoined/praised
• शस्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

• नित्यनैमित्तिकादीनाम्: of the daily, occasional, etc. (rites)
• नित्यनैमित्तिकादीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (नित्य-नैमित्तिक-आदि)

• अनुष्ठानम्: performance
• अनुष्ठानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुष्ठान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• कर्मणाम्: of rites/actions
• कर्मणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Varṇāśrama duties beyond livelihood: study, yajña, dāna, and nitya/naimittika rites

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Along with livelihood, the Vaiśya is enjoined to study, sacrifice, charity, righteous conduct, and the steady observance of nitya and naimittika karmas.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Maintain daily disciplines (study, worship, giving) and mark life-events with intentional rites; make regularity and integrity the core of practice.

Vishishtadvaita: Prescribed action becomes a mode of service to the Lord’s order, integrating worldly station with spiritual purpose rather than rejecting embodiment.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of nitya and naimittika karmas in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse praises the steady observance of daily (nitya) and occasion-based (naimittika) duties as the practical backbone of dharma that sustains order in life and society.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the core disciplines of dharma here?

Parāśara lists study (adhyayana), sacrifice (yajña), charity (dāna), and righteous conduct (dharma) as praised foundations, adding that one should also carry out all obligatory and occasional prescribed rites.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purana’s dharma-teaching assumes that disciplined action and right conduct uphold the divine order ultimately grounded in the sovereignty of Vishnu as the Supreme Reality.