Shloka 4

विष्ण्वाराधन-फलम् तथा वर्णधर्माः

Worship of Vishnu through Varṇa-dharma

Devanagari script

सगरः प्रणिपत्येदम् और्वं पप्रच्छ भार्गवम् विष्णोर् आराधनोपायसंबन्धं मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

sagaraḥ praṇipatyedam aurvaṃ papraccha bhārgavam viṣṇor ārādhanopāyasaṃbandhaṃ munisattama

Translation

O best of sages, Sagara bowed in reverence and asked Aurva, the Bhārgava seer, about the true principle and method by which Lord Vishnu is to be worshipped.

Word by Word

• सगरः: Sagara
• सगरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• प्रणिपत्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नि-पत् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

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

• और्वम्: Aurva
• और्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: और्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भार्गवम्: the Bhārgava (descendant of Bhṛgu)
• भार्गवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; और्वस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• आराधन-उपाय-संबन्धम्: the topic/connection of the means of worship
• आराधन-उपाय-संबन्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आराधन (प्रातिपदिक) + उपाय (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (आराधनस्य उपायः तस्य सम्बन्धः/विषयः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयार्थः (मुनिषु सत्तमः = best among sages); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya); within the embedded narrative, the action is King Sagara addressing Sage Aurva

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Recounting Sagara’s reverential query to Aurva about the means of worshipping Viṣṇu

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right worship of Viṣṇu is learned through reverent approach to a realized teacher, emphasizing method (upāya) and its true rationale (saṃbandha).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate disciplined devotion under guidance—learn the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of practice (mantra, arcana, conduct) and anchor it in humility.

Vishishtadvaita: Upāya is personal surrender expressed through concrete worship; the Lord is supreme yet approached through relational devotion and teacher-mediated instruction.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Surya

Dharma Exemplar: Vinaya (humility)

Key Kings: Sagara

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• King Sagara
• Sage Aurva
• Bhṛgu lineage (Bhārgava)

FAQs

What is the significance of King Sagara’s inquiry in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks a turning point where a dynastic king seeks not only political or ritual success but the correct method of worshipping Viṣṇu, framing kingship as grounded in devotion and dharma.

How does the Vishnu Purana structure this teaching as a dialogue?

Parāśara narrates to Maitreya, and within that narration a secondary dialogue occurs: Sagara respectfully approaches Aurva, showing that authoritative teaching is transmitted through guru–śiṣya and king–sage exchanges.

What is the theological importance of Lord Viṣṇu in this verse?

Viṣṇu is presented as the ultimate object of worship whose proper ‘means’ must be known—implying His supreme sovereignty and that devotion and right practice are oriented toward Him as the sustaining Lord.