Shloka 9

स्वाध्याय-योगोपदेशः तथा केशिध्वज-खाण्डिक्य-उपाख्यानम्

Yoga through Study and Restraint; The Keśidhvaja–Khāṇḍikya Narrative Frame

Devanagari script

कर्ममार्गे ऽति खाण्डिक्यः पृथिव्याम् अभवत् कृती केशिध्वजो ऽप्य् अतीवासीद् आत्मविद्याविशारदः

Transliteration

karmamārge 'ti khāṇḍikyaḥ pṛthivyām abhavat kṛtī keśidhvajo 'py atīvāsīd ātmavidyāviśāradaḥ

Translation

On the path of ritual duty, Khāṇḍikya became greatly accomplished upon the earth; and Keśidhvaja too was pre-eminent, supremely skilled in the wisdom of the Self.

Word by Word

• कर्ममार्गे: in the path of action (karma-mārga)
• कर्ममार्गे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कर्मणः मार्गः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; Locative singular: "in the path of action"

• अति: very, exceedingly
• अति: Visheshana (Modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण (intensifier/adverb)

• खाण्डिक्यः: Khāṇḍikya
• खाण्डिक्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खाण्डिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; proper noun

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; locative

• अभवत्: became, was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• कृती: capable, accomplished
• कृती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies खाण्डिक्यः)

• केशिध्वजः: Keśidhvaja
• केशिध्वजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशि (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; proper noun; केशेः ध्वजः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: also/even)

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: exceedingly)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• आत्मविद्याविशारदः: skilled in knowledge of the Self
• आत्मविद्याविशारदः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्म (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + विशारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies केशिध्वजः); आत्मविद्यायां विशारदः इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (learned in self-knowledge)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Instruction on the means to transcend saṃsāra—contrasting ritual action and Self-knowledge through exemplars.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual duty (karma) may perfect worldly competence, but Self-knowledge (ātma-vidyā) is presented as the higher, liberating excellence.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Fulfill duties conscientiously while cultivating daily self-inquiry and scriptural study aimed at inner freedom.

Vishishtadvaita: Liberating knowledge is of the Supreme (Brahma/Vishnu) as the Self’s inner ruler, with karma as an auxiliary (aṅga) when oriented to Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Khāṇḍikya
• Keśidhvaja
• Earth (Pṛthivī)

FAQs

What is the significance of karma-mārga and ātma-vidyā in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse places side by side two ideals: excellence in ritual duty (karma) and mastery of self-knowledge (ātma-vidyā), presenting both as celebrated virtues in the Purāṇic vision of righteous order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of kings in spiritual life?

By praising rulers for either disciplined action or inner wisdom, Parāśara frames kingship as a field where dharma can be fulfilled outwardly through rites and inwardly through realization.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named directly, the Purāṇa’s dynastic narration assumes Vishnu as the supreme ground of cosmic and moral order, within which both action and knowledge find their rightful place.