Shloka 15

उपसंहारः, वैष्णवपुराण-प्रशंसा, फलश्रुति, परम्परा-प्रवहः (पाठ-श्रवण-फलम्)

Devanagari script

मुनयो भावितात्मानः कथ्यन्ते तपसान्विताः चातुर्वर्ण्यं तथा पुंसां विशिष्टचरिता नराः

Transliteration

munayo bhāvitātmānaḥ kathyante tapasānvitāḥ cāturvarṇyaṃ tathā puṃsāṃ viśiṣṭacaritā narāḥ

Translation

They are called sages whose inner selves are refined—men endowed with austerity. Likewise, among human beings, the fourfold social order is taught, distinguished by the specific conduct and duties of each.

Word by Word

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भावितात्मानः: self-disciplined
• भावितात्मानः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भावित (कृदन्त-निष्पन्न प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भावितः आत्मा येषाम् = 'whose selves are cultivated'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• कथ्यन्ते: are described
• कथ्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग

• तपसा: with austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अन्विताः: endowed (with)
• अन्विताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि/अनु-इ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) 'अन्वित'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• चातुर्वर्ण्यम्: the fourfold social order
• चातुर्वर्ण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर् (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (चत्वारः वर्णाः यस्य = 'fourfold varṇa-system'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तथा: also
• तथा: Samuccaya (Conjunctive adverb/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय

• पुंसाम्: of men
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम्स् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन

• विशिष्टचरिताः: of distinguished deeds
• विशिष्टचरिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशिष्ट (कृदन्त-निष्पन्न प्रातिपदिक) + चरित (कृदन्त-निष्पन्न प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (विशिष्टं चरितं येषाम् = 'of distinguished conduct'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Recap of described human and sage categories, including cāturvarṇya and disciplined conduct

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sages are defined by inner refinement and tapas, and human society is ordered through cāturvarṇya with distinct duties and conduct.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt role-appropriate duties with integrity, and cultivate inner discipline (tapas, self-restraint) as the basis of spiritual clarity.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is not negated but sanctified as a real order within the Lord’s world, supporting a devotional life embedded in social responsibility.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Sages (Munis)
• Four Varṇas (Cāturvarṇya)
• Humankind (Narāḥ)

FAQs

What is the significance of tapas in defining a sage (muni) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse defines a muni by inner refinement (bhāvita-ātman) and tapas, presenting austerity and disciplined self-cultivation as the marks of true sagehood.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cāturvarṇya in this context?

He presents the fourfold order as a dharmic classification among humans, distinguished by viśiṣṭa-cāritra—specific conduct and duties—rather than as a mere label.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Though not named in the verse, the teaching fits the Vishnu Purana’s view that dharma and social order operate under the sovereignty of the Supreme Reality (Vishnu), who upholds cosmic stability through right conduct and disciplined life.