Shloka 5

अविद्याबीज-निरूपणं, योगस्वरूप-उपदेशः, मूर्तहरिधारणा-समाधि, जनकवंशीय-राजर्षिसंवादः

Devanagari script

जन्मोपभोगलिप्सार्थम् इयं राज्यस्पृहा मम अन्येषां दोषजा नैव धर्मम् एवानुरुध्यते

Transliteration

janmopabhogalipsārtham iyaṃ rājyaspṛhā mama anyeṣāṃ doṣajā naiva dharmam evānurudhyate

Translation

This longing of mine for sovereignty arises only from the craving to enjoy the pleasures of embodied life; it is not, like the ambitions of others born of fault, something that follows after dharma.

Word by Word

• जन्म: of birth
• जन्म: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — genitive singular (as first member in compound)

• उपभोग: of enjoyment
• उपभोग: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपभोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — genitive singular (as middle member in compound)

• लिप्सा: of desire/greed
• लिप्सा: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिप्सा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — genitive singular (as member in compound)

• अर्थम्: for the sake of
• अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; प्रयोजनार्थे (purpose)

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular (pronoun)

• राज्य: of kingship/kingdom
• राज्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — genitive singular (as first member in compound)

• स्पृहा: desire/longing (for kingship)
• स्पृहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पृहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राज्यस्य स्पृहा)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — genitive singular (pronoun)

• अन्येषाम्: of others
• अन्येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्यतः), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — genitive plural

• दोष: of fault
• दोष: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — genitive singular (as first member in compound)

• जा: born of fault
• जा: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय) → जात/जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दोषात् जाता)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• धर्मम्: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अनुरुध्यते: follows/conforms to
• अनुरुध्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु√रुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद — present middle 3rd sg

Speaker

A king/prince within the dynastic narrative (as recounted by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya); the verse is voiced as a self-reflective confession about royal ambition

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Craving for sovereignty can arise from embodied enjoyment and must not be mistaken as dharma-driven aspiration.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Examine ambitions for hidden bhoga-motives and re-align goals with dharma and inner freedom.

Vishishtadvaita: Discernment of motive supports surrendering egoic claims while orienting action toward the Lord’s order (niyati) rather than personal enjoyment.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Kings
• Sovereignty (Rajya)

FAQs

What is the significance of desire for sovereignty (rājya-spṛhā) in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, sovereignty is shown as morally ambiguous when rooted in craving for enjoyment; true legitimacy in rule is implied to rest on alignment with dharma, not appetite.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the difference between dharma and fault-born ambition?

Through the dynastic speaker’s confession, Parāśara’s narrative contrasts dharma-guided action with doṣa-ja (vice-born) impulses—ambition that does not ‘follow dharma’ is treated as ethically inferior.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s framework assumes dharma as part of Vishnu’s cosmic order; kingship gains meaning when it upholds that order rather than serving personal enjoyment.