Shloka 16

पुंसां क्रिया-विभागः, संस्काराः, नामकरणम्, विवाहविधानम्

Devanagari script

वर्षैर् एकगुणां भार्याम् उद्वहेत् त्रिगुणः स्वयम् नातिकेशाम् अकेशां वा नातिकृष्णां न पिङ्गलाम्

Transliteration

varṣair ekaguṇāṃ bhāryām udvahet triguṇaḥ svayam nātikeśām akeśāṃ vā nātikṛṣṇāṃ na piṅgalām

Translation

L’homme qui a atteint trois fois ses années doit épouser une épouse plus jeune d’une seule mesure d’années. Mais qu’il ne choisisse ni une femme trop velue, ni une sans cheveux ; ni trop sombre, ni jaunâtre ou pâle : le dharma recommande mesure et convenance pour l’ordre du foyer.

Word by Word

• वर्षैः: by years (in age)
• वर्षैः: Karana (Instrument/Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण/माने: by years (in age)

• एक-गुणाम्: one-fold (in age)
• एक-गुणाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘एकगुणा’ = one-fold (i.e., equal by one unit)

• भार्याम्: wife
• भार्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• उद्वहेत्: should marry (carry off)
• उद्वहेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√वह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्रि-गुणः: three-fold (older)
• त्रि-गुणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘त्रिगुणः’ = three-fold (in age)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Emphatic/कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अव्यय (आत्मवाचक/ reflexive adverb): oneself

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध/negation particle)

• अति-केशाम्: too hairy
• अति-केशाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘अतिकेशा’ = having excessive hair (very hairy)

• अ-केशाम्: hairless
• अ-केशाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष: ‘अकेशा’ = hairless

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विकल्प)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध)

• अति-कृष्णाम्: too dark
• अति-कृष्णाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘अतिकृष्णा’ = very dark

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध)

• पिङ्गलाम्: tawny, reddish-brown
• पिङ्गलाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिङ्गला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘पिङ्गला’ = tawny/reddish-brown (complexion/eyes)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya within the dharma discourse)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Gārhasthya norms: appropriate marriage matching and moderation in choosing a spouse

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Marriage should be entered with proportional age considerations and with moderation in selection, avoiding extremes, so that gārhasthya supports dharma and social order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Make long-term commitments with discernment and balance—avoid extreme criteria and prioritize character, health, and shared dharmic aims.

Vishishtadvaita: Householder life is affirmed as a dharmic support of the world (loka-saṅgraha) when regulated by śāstra—an embodied, relational mode of serving the Lord’s order.

FAQs

What is the significance of household dharma (gṛhastha-dharma) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames marriage as a regulated, dharma-governed institution: personal choices are subordinated to balance and social stability, which the Purana treats as part of the world-order ultimately upheld by Vishnu.

How does Sage Parāśara explain suitability in marriage here?

He gives practical norms—age proportion and avoidance of extreme physical traits—presenting suitability as moderation, harmony, and the avoidance of extremes that could disturb household and social equilibrium.

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

Even when the topic is social conduct, the Vishnu Purana treats dharma as an expression of cosmic order; living by such rules aligns human life with the sustaining principle identified with Vishnu.