Shloka 27

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

आन्वीक्षिकी त्रयी वार्ता दण्डनीतिस् तथापरा विद्याचतुष्टयं चैतद् वार्ताम् अत्र शृणुष्व मे

Transliteration

ānvīkṣikī trayī vārtā daṇḍanītis tathāparā vidyācatuṣṭayaṃ caitad vārtām atra śṛṇuṣva me

Translation

Inquiry into first principles, the triple Veda, vārtā (the science of livelihood), and daṇḍanīti (the science of governance and punishment)—these four together are proclaimed as the complete body of knowledge. Now, in this context, hear from me the teaching concerning vārtā.

Word by Word

• आन्वीक्षिकी: the discipline of inquiry (logic/philosophy)
• आन्वीक्षिकी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आन्वीक्षिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्रयी: the triad (Vedic learning)
• त्रयी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वार्ता: economics/practical livelihood (vārttā)
• वार्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• दण्डनीतिः: policy of punishment; polity
• दण्डनीतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड + नीति (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive-determinative): दण्डस्य नीतिḥ

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): 'thus/so'

• अपरा: the other; another
• अपरा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier) दण्डनीतिः इत्यस्य

• विद्याचतुष्टयम्: the set of four sciences
• विद्याचतुष्टयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या + चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: विद्यायाः चतुष्टयम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• वार्ताम्: vārttā (practical livelihood)
• वार्ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb): 'here'

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद

• मे: to me / of me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Gen./Dat. 6th/4th), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: As Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān instructs and civilizes human society by teaching dharma and right conduct, including practical sciences that sustain varṇāśrama life.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Sustaining social order through proper education (vidyā) and livelihood ethics.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Human knowledge is classically organized into four domains—ānvīkṣikī, trayī, vārttā, and daṇḍanīti—each necessary for a stable, dharmic society.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Balance spiritual study with critical inquiry, ethical governance, and honest livelihood skills rather than treating spirituality as isolated from daily life.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is upheld in embodied life; worldly disciplines can be integrated as service within a Viṣṇu-ordered cosmos rather than rejected as unreal.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Vedas

FAQs

What is the significance of the fourfold knowledge (vidyācatuṣṭaya) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames a complete societal order: philosophical inquiry guides truth, the Veda anchors dharma, vārtā sustains material life, and daṇḍanīti protects justice—together enabling righteous living under cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain vārtā in this context?

He introduces vārtā as one of the four essential disciplines and signals that he will now detail it—treating livelihood and economy as a legitimate, dharma-supporting science rather than a merely worldly pursuit.

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

Even when discussing practical sciences like economy and governance, the Purāṇa’s underlying premise is that all ordered knowledge ultimately serves dharma, which in Vaiṣṇava theology is sustained by Vishnu as the supreme ground of cosmic order.