Shloka 32

कलिस्वरूप-वर्णनम् एवं कालमान-प्रस्तावना

Devanagari script

वेदादानं करिष्यन्ति बटवश् च तथाव्रताः गृहस्थाश् च न होष्यन्ति न दास्यन्त्य् उचितान्य् अपि

Transliteration

vedādānaṃ kariṣyanti baṭavaś ca tathāvratāḥ gṛhasthāś ca na hoṣyanti na dāsyanty ucitāny api

Translation

कलियुग में ब्रह्मचारी और केवल बाह्य व्रतधारी लोग वेद का भी ‘दान’ करने लगेंगे; पर गृहस्थ न तो होम करेंगे, न उचित दान देंगे। इस प्रकार धर्म का रूप तो रहेगा, पर उसके जीवित कर्तव्य लुप्त होते जाएँगे।

Word by Word

वेद-आदानम्taking/receiving the Veda (Vedic learning)

करिष्यन्तिwill do, will undertake

बटवःboys, students

चand

तथा-व्रताःhaving such vows (i.e., of that kind)

गृहस्थाःhouseholders

चand

नnot

होष्यन्तिwill offer (sacrifices)

नnot

दास्यन्तिwill give

उचितानिproper (things)

अपिeven, also

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Kali-yuga distortion of varṇāśrama duties—commercialization of Veda and collapse of gṛhastha yajña/dāna

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kali-yuga retains the outer form of religiosity while hollowing its substance: sacred learning is treated as a commodity, and gṛhastha duties of yajña and dāna wither.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Keep learning and teaching sacred texts free from exploitation, sustain daily worship/offerings according to capacity, and practice generous giving as a living expression of dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Varṇāśrama duties are meaningful as offerings to Nārāyaṇa; when performed with bhakti they become modes of surrender (prapatti) rather than mere social ritual.

Characters & Entities

Veda

Brahmacārins (students)

Vrata-dhārins (vow-keepers)

Gṛhasthas (householders)

Kali-yuga (implied)

FAQs

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

This verse highlights that when householders stop offering oblations and proper charity, dharma loses its sustaining foundation—signaling Kali-yuga style decline.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the decline of dharma in this context?

Parāśara contrasts external, performative religiosity (students and vow-keepers) with the collapse of core daily duties—yajña and dāna—showing how dharma becomes hollow.

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

By depicting the breakdown of dharmic practice, the text implies the need for Vishnu’s sovereignty to re-establish order; dharma is sustained ultimately under Vishnu’s supreme governance of time and cycles.