Shloka 25

कलौ धर्मसुलभता — व्यासोपाख्यानम् एवं संकीर्तन-प्रधानता

Devanagari script

स्वधर्मस्याविरोधेन नरैर् लब्धं धनं सदा प्रतिपाद्यं च पात्रेषु यष्टव्यं च यथाविधि

Transliteration

svadharmasyāvirodhena narair labdhaṃ dhanaṃ sadā pratipādyaṃ ca pātreṣu yaṣṭavyaṃ ca yathāvidhi

Translation

Wealth gained by people without violating their own rightful duty should always be given in charity to worthy recipients, and it should also be employed in sacrifice, performed according to proper rule.

Word by Word

• स्वधर्मस्य: of one’s own duty
• स्वधर्मस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (one's own dharma)

• अविरोधेन: without opposition (to it)
• अविरोधेन: Hetu/Instrument (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविरोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• लब्धम्: obtained
• लब्धम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लभ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; धनम् इति विशेषण

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• प्रतिपाद्यम्: should be bestowed
• प्रतिपाद्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति+पद् (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थ (should be given/assigned)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पात्रेषु: to worthy recipients
• पात्रेषु: Sampradana/Adhikarana (Recipient/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• यष्टव्यम्: should be offered in sacrifice
• यष्टव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (should be sacrificed/worshipped)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यथाविधि: according to rule
• यथाविधि: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Proper use of wealth in accordance with svadharma (dāna and yajña)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Wealth acquired without violating svadharma should be purified and elevated through dāna to worthy recipients and through properly performed yajña.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Earn ethically, budget for regular giving, and dedicate a portion of resources to disciplined worship/service according to one’s tradition.

Vishishtadvaita: Karma becomes bhagavad-ārādhanā when offered in right spirit and right order, expressing the soul’s dependence (śeṣatva) upon the Lord.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Dasya

FAQs

What is the significance of righteous wealth in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse teaches that wealth is spiritually valid when earned without violating one’s svadharma, and it becomes a support for dharma when used for charity and properly performed sacrifice.

How does Sage Parashara explain right conduct for householders in this chapter?

Parāśara frames household duty around ethical acquisition, giving to worthy recipients, and maintaining yajña according to injunction—actions that uphold dharma even amid Kali-yuga’s decline.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named here, the teaching aligns with Vaishnava order: dharma, yajña, and right giving preserve the cosmic harmony ultimately grounded in Vishnu as the sustaining Supreme Reality.