Shloka 2

अविद्याबीज-निरूपणं, योगस्वरूप-उपदेशः, मूर्तहरिधारणा-समाधि, जनकवंशीय-राजर्षिसंवादः

Devanagari script

केशिध्वज निबोध त्वं मया न प्रार्थितं यतः राज्यम् एतद् अशेषं ते यत्र गृध्नन्त्य् अपण्डिताः

Transliteration

keśidhvaja nibodha tvaṃ mayā na prārthitaṃ yataḥ rājyam etad aśeṣaṃ te yatra gṛdhnanty apaṇḍitāḥ

Translation

ഹേ കേശിധ്വജ, മനസ്സിലാക്കുക: ഞാൻ നിന്റെ രാജ്യം അപേക്ഷിച്ചില്ല; കാരണം നിന്റെ ഈ സമ്പൂർണ്ണ രാജ്യമെന്നതുതന്നെ മോഹലോഭത്തിൽ അജ്ഞർ ഓടിപ്പോകുന്ന വസ്തുവാണ്।

Word by Word

• केशिध्वज: O Keśidhvaja
• केशिध्वज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशिध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• निबोध: understand; know
• निबोध: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि- बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana/Agent-in-passive (by-agent/कर्ता-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• प्रार्थितम्: requested
• प्रार्थितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-अर्थ् (धातु) → प्रार्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक-सम्बन्धबोधक (because/for the reason that)

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोग

• अशेषम्: entire; without remainder
• अशेषम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (शेषः न अस्ति)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/Genitive or 4th/Dative), एकवचन; अत्र षष्ठी (your) अधिकयुक्ता

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-सम्बन्ध (where)

• गृध्नन्ति: are greedy; covet
• गृध्नन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गृध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• अपण्डिताः: the unlearned; fools
• अपण्डिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ (नञ्) + पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

A rival king addressing King Keśidhvaja (within Parāśara’s narration to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Worldly sovereignty is an object of craving for the unwise; the discerning do not seek it as a goal.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Treat status and control as instruments at most, not ends; cultivate contentment and reduce greed by intentional simplicity and self-inquiry.

Vishishtadvaita: Dispassion clears the way for surrender/bhakti to the Supreme, shifting reliance from temporal power to the Lord as the true refuge.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Keśidhvaja
• Kings
• The unwise (apaṇḍitāḥ)

FAQs

What is the significance of rejecting kingship in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse frames political power as an object of craving for the undiscerning, implying that true worth lies in wisdom and dharma rather than possession of a kingdom.

How does Sage Parashara’s narrative use royal dialogue to teach detachment?

By placing renunciatory language in a kingly dispute, the Purana shows that discernment can transcend status—turning a political moment into instruction on desire, bondage, and right conduct.

What is the theological takeaway about Vishnu’s order (dharma) in this context?

Even within dynastic history, the Purana emphasizes that sovereignty is subordinate to dharma—reflecting a Vishnu-centered moral cosmos where wisdom and restraint align one with the higher order.