Shloka 37
विष्ण्वाराधन-फलम् तथा वर्णधर्माः
Worship of Vishnu through Varṇa-dharma
आश्रमाणां च सर्वेषाम् एते सामान्यलक्षणाः गुणांस् तथापद्धर्मांश् च विप्रादीनाम् इमाञ् छृणु
āśramāṇāṃ ca sarveṣām ete sāmānyalakṣaṇāḥ guṇāṃs tathāpaddharmāṃś ca viprādīnām imāñ chṛṇu
These are the common characteristics of all the āśramas. Now hear from me the virtues—and the dharma for times of distress—as they apply to the brāhmaṇa and the other twice-born.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Concept: Dharma has both stable common marks across all āśramas and adaptive rules (āpaddharma) for crisis, preventing collapse of moral life under pressure.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Maintain core disciplines consistently, but in emergencies apply principled flexibility without abandoning the spirit of dharma.
Vishishtadvaita: Āpaddharma reflects a theistic teleology: rules serve the preservation of righteous living (and thus bhagavad-ājñā), not mere ritual rigidity.
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
This verse introduces apaddharma as an authorized, principled adaptation of duty during calamity—meant to preserve dharma when normal obligations cannot be fully maintained.
He begins by stating that all āśramas share certain common marks, then proceeds to outline virtues and special-case duties for the twice-born, indicating a structured, tiered exposition of dharma.
Even when the verse discusses social ethics, the Vishnu Purana frames dharma as the sustaining order under the Supreme Lord’s governance—ethical life becomes a mode of aligning with Vishnu’s cosmic sovereignty.