Shloka 5

अर्जुनस्य अन्त्येष्टि, द्वारकाप्लावनम्, कलिप्रवेशः, कालोपदेशः

Devanagari script

ततो ऽर्जुनः प्रेतकार्यं कृत्वा तेषां यथाविधि निश्चक्राम जनं सर्वं गृहीत्वा वज्रम् एव च

Transliteration

tato 'rjunaḥ pretakāryaṃ kṛtvā teṣāṃ yathāvidhi niścakrāma janaṃ sarvaṃ gṛhītvā vajram eva ca

Translation

Then Arjuna, having duly performed their funerary rites according to sacred rule, set out—taking with him all the people, and also the Vajra weapon.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अपादानार्थक-अव्यय (ablative adverb: then/from there)

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रेतकार्यं: funeral rites
• प्रेतकार्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘प्रेतस्य कार्यम्’ (funeral rites)

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) ‘having done’

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• यथाविधि: according to rule
• यथाविधि: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + विधि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय ‘विधिना यथा’

• निश्चक्राम: went out, departed
• निश्चक्राम: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस्-√क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• जनम्: people
• जनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘जनम्’ इति विशेषण

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) ‘having taken’

• वज्रम्: the thunderbolt (weapon)
• वज्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even amid collapse and grief, dharma is upheld through śāstric rites and responsible protection of dependents.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In times of loss, complete obligations carefully (ritual/legal/familial) and safeguard those entrusted to you.

Vishishtadvaita: Service to Bhagavān’s devotees and entrusted community is treated as dharma aligned to the Lord’s will, not mere social custom.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Chandra

Dharma Exemplar: Pitṛ-dharma (performing prescribed funerary rites)

Key Kings: Arjuna, Vajra

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Vajra
• People/subjects (jana)

FAQs

What is the significance of pretakārya (funerary rites) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights that even kings must uphold śāstric duty: honoring the departed through proper rites sustains social and cosmic order (dharma) before any political action is taken.

How does Sage Parāśara explain kingship through actions like these?

By narrating that Arjuna first completes yathāvidhi rites and then proceeds with the populace and royal power, Parāśara frames kingship as responsibility—ritual propriety and protection of subjects together define legitimate rule.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though not named in the verse, the Purāṇic worldview assumes dharma and rightful sovereignty operate under Vishnu’s supreme governance; adherence to prescribed duty is implicitly alignment with that higher order.