Shloka 28

विष्ण्वाराधन-फलम् तथा वर्णधर्माः

Worship of Vishnu through Varṇa-dharma

Devanagari script

धरित्रीपालनेनैव कृतकृत्यो नराधिपः भवन्ति नृपतेर् अंशा यतो यज्ञादिकर्मणाम्

Transliteration

dharitrīpālanenaiva kṛtakṛtyo narādhipaḥ bhavanti nṛpater aṃśā yato yajñādikarmaṇām

Translation

धरती की रक्षा से ही राजा कृतकृत्य हो जाता है; क्योंकि यज्ञ आदि कर्मों के अंश और प्रवाह राजा से ही चलते हैं।

Word by Word

धरित्रीपालनेनby protecting the earth

एवindeed

कृतकृत्यःhaving fulfilled his duty

नराधिपःthe king

भवन्तिbecome/are

नृपतेःof the king

अंशाःparts/shares

यतःbecause

यज्ञादिकर्मणाम्of sacrifices and other rites

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

King (Narādhipa/Nṛpati)

Earth (Dharitrī)

Yajña (sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the significance of protecting the earth in the Vishnu Purana’s teaching on kingship?

This verse presents earth-protection as the king’s core duty; by safeguarding people and land, he becomes ‘kṛtakṛtya’ (fulfilled), because all dharmic life depends on stable protection.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the link between royal power and yajña (sacrifice)?

Parāśara states that yajña and related rites take their effective ‘share’ or continuation from the king—meaning that public order, security, and enforcement of dharma make sacrificial and religious duties practically possible.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named directly, the verse frames kingship as a dharmic instrument sustaining cosmic and social order—an order ultimately grounded in Vishnu as the Supreme Reality upheld through righteous governance.