Shloka 63

वेन-पृथु-प्रादुर्भावः, राजधर्मः, पृथिवीदोहनम्

Vena–Pṛthu Episode and the Milking of Earth

Devanagari script

समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च व्यवहारस्थितौ नृपः

Transliteration

samaḥ śatrau ca mitre ca vyavahārasthitau nṛpaḥ

Translation

ਇਹ ਰਾਜਾ ਰਾਜਕਾਜ ਅਤੇ ਨਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਠੀਕ ਵਰਤਾਓ ਵਿੱਚ ਟਿਕਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ, ਦੁਸ਼ਮਣ ਅਤੇ ਮਿੱਤਰ—ਦੋਹਾਂ ਪ੍ਰਤੀ ਸਮਭਾਵ ਰੱਖਦਾ ਹੈ; ਨਾ ਵੈਰ, ਨਾ ਲਗਾਵ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਰਾਜ ਨੂੰ ਝੁਕਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

समःequal, impartial

शत्रौtoward/in the case of an enemy

चand

मित्रेtoward/in the case of a friend

चand

व्यवहारस्थितौin matters of conduct/transactions

नृपःthe king

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya, within a rāja-dharma passage)

Characters & Entities

Kings

Enemy

Friend

FAQs

What is the significance of impartiality toward friend and enemy in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents impartiality as a core royal virtue: the king must uphold dharma through lawful administration, not through personal likes, loyalties, or grudges.

How does Sage Parāśara explain proper governance (vyavahāra) in this context?

Parāśara frames governance as disciplined adherence to right procedure—justice and statecraft grounded in dharma—where the ruler’s equanimity prevents bias in decisions.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here, even though He is not named?

In the Vishnu Purana’s dharma-vision, righteous sovereignty mirrors cosmic order ultimately upheld by Vishnu; impartial rule becomes a worldly expression of that higher, sustaining principle.