Shloka 40

विष्ण्वाराधन-फलम् तथा वर्णधर्माः

Worship of Vishnu through Varṇa-dharma

Devanagari script

इत्य् एते कथिता राजन् वर्णधर्मा मया तव धर्मम् आश्रमिणां सम्यग् ब्रुवतो मे निशामय

Transliteration

ity ete kathitā rājan varṇadharmā mayā tava dharmam āśramiṇāṃ samyag bruvato me niśāmaya

Translation

O King, I have thus declared to you the duties of the varṇas. Now listen with care as I set forth, clearly and in due order, the sacred law of those who dwell in the four āśramas.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निगमन/उद्धरणसूचक particle: “thus/so”)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• कथिताः: have been stated
• कथिताः: Karma (Predicate complement/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; “having been told/declared”

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• वर्णधर्माः: duties of the social classes
• वर्णधर्माः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वर्णस्य धर्माः)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• तव: for you / of you
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• धर्मम्: duty
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आश्रमिणाम्: of those in the āśramas (life-stages)
• आश्रमिणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रमिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Visheshana (Adverbial qualifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण adverb)

• ब्रुवतः: of (me) speaking
• ब्रुवतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; “of me who is speaking”

• मे: my / of me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (enclitic)

• निशामय: listen / heed
• निशामय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थक imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (as narrator/teacher)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Varṇa-dharma already taught; transition to āśrama-dharma (law of the four life-stages)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After defining varṇa-dharma, the text frames āśrama-dharma as a structured discipline to be heard attentively and practiced in due sequence.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt a staged approach to duties—study, work, responsibility, and renunciation—rather than mixing incompatible commitments.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is presented as a divinely ordered mode of life that supports devotion to the Supreme who governs the world through law and discipline.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• King (addressed as rājan)
• Varna (social orders)
• Ashramas (four stages of life)

FAQs

What is the significance of varṇa-dharma in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks the completion of the varṇa-based duties and signals a transition to āśrama-dharma, presenting dharma as an ordered, comprehensive framework for sustaining society and spiritual progress.

How does Sage Parāśara structure the teaching of dharma here?

Parāśara teaches systematically: first the duties tied to social function (varṇa), and then the duties tied to life-stage discipline (āśrama), indicating that dharma is both communal and personal in scope.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in this verse, the Purana’s dharma sections are framed as aligning human conduct with the supreme cosmic order upheld by Vishnu, making ethical life a mode of participation in divine sovereignty.