Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

वर्णधर्मादयो धर्मा वेदशाखाश् च कृत्स्नशः येषां संश्रवणात् सद्यः सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते

Transliteration

varṇadharmādayo dharmā vedaśākhāś ca kṛtsnaśaḥ yeṣāṃ saṃśravaṇāt sadyaḥ sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

Translation

All the ordinances of dharma—beginning with the duties of the social orders—and all the branches of the Veda in full: by hearing them recited, one is at once released from every sin.

Word by Word

• वर्णधर्मादयः: the duties of the varṇas and the like
• वर्णधर्मादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्णधर्म + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—वर्णधर्माः आदयः येषां ते (आदि-शब्देन समाहारः)

• धर्माः: duties, dharmas
• धर्माः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• वेदशाखाः: branches of the Veda
• वेदशाखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + शाखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—वेदस्य शाखाः

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

• कृत्स्नशः: entirely, in full
• कृत्स्नशः: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृत्स्नशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• येषाम्: of whom/whose
• येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• संश्रवणात्: from hearing (them)
• संश्रवणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संश्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• सर्वपापैः: from all sins
• सर्वपापैः: Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—सर्वाणि पापानि

• प्रमुच्यते: is freed, is released
• प्रमुच्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Means of purification and liberation in Kali-like decline; efficacy of hearing dharma and Veda

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śravaṇa (hearing) of dharma-ordinances and Vedic recensions is declared immediately sin-destroying.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Regularly listen to or recite śāstra with attentive faith, treating it as a purificatory sādhana rather than mere information.

Vishishtadvaita: Śāstra-śravaṇa is efficacious because it is ultimately about the Lord and conduces to surrender to Him, not merely ritual correctness.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of śravaṇa (hearing) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse teaches that attentive hearing of dharma teachings and the Vedic branches is itself a potent purifier, capable of removing sin immediately.

How does Sage Parāśara explain dharma here in relation to varṇa duties?

He frames dharma as beginning with varṇa-based duties and extending to the full body of Vedic tradition, presenting sacred learning and social ethics as interconnected.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Vishnu Purana presents Vedic dharma as part of the divine order sustained by the Supreme Reality; hearing it aligns the listener with that order and purifies the mind.