Shloka 35

कलौ धर्मसुलभता — व्यासोपाख्यानम् एवं संकीर्तन-प्रधानता

Devanagari script

शूद्रैश् च द्विजशुश्रूषातत्परैर् मुनिसत्तमाः तथा स्त्रीभिर् अनायासात् पतिशुश्रूषयैव हि

Transliteration

śūdraiś ca dvijaśuśrūṣātatparair munisattamāḥ tathā strībhir anāyāsāt patiśuśrūṣayaiva hi

Translation

முனிவரே! இருமுறை பிறந்தோரின் சேவையில் ஈடுபடும் சூத்ரர்களாலும், அதுபோல பெண்களாலும்—கடின உழைப்பு இன்றியே—கணவனின் சேவையிலேயே ஒருமுகமாக இருந்து புண்ணியம் எளிதில் பெறப்படுகிறது।

Word by Word

• शूद्रैः: by Śūdras
• शूद्रैः: Karana (Agentive instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• द्विजशुश्रूषातत्परैः: by those devoted to serving the twice-born
• द्विजशुश्रूषातत्परैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्विज-शुश्रूषा = द्विजसेवा; तस्यां तत्परः = तत्परः)

• मुनिसत्तमाः: best of sages
• मुनिसत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मुनीनां सत्तमाः)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: likewise/so)

• स्त्रीभिः: by women
• स्त्रीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• अनायासात्: without exertion, easily
• अनायासात्: Apadana (Source/Reason/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनायास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् अर्थः (without effort / easily)

• पतिशुश्रूषया: by service to the husband
• पतिशुश्रूषया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पतेः शुश्रूषा)

• एव: only, indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphasis: only/just)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय (indeed/for)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Accessible means of gaining merit/dharma for different social stations in Kali-yuga

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: didactic

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Merit is attainable through faithfully performed role-duties expressed as service—here, attentive service to the worthy and household fidelity—without severe austerity.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat one’s responsibilities as worship: serve teachers/elders conscientiously, honor commitments, and perform daily work with integrity and self-restraint.

Vishishtadvaita: Karma becomes a mode of devotion when offered within Vishnu’s cosmic order; duty is reinterpreted as service (śeṣatva) rather than self-assertion.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Dvijas (twice-born)
• Women (strī)

FAQs

What is the significance of service (śuśrūṣā) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse presents service as a direct, accessible means to earn merit in Kali-yuga—Śūdras through serving dvijas, and women through devoted service to their husbands.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Kali-yuga religious practice here?

Parāśara frames Kali-yuga as an age where arduous austerities are less emphasized, and where dharma is approached through simpler, duty-based conduct aligned with one’s station.

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

Though not named in the verse, the teaching supports a Vaishnava moral order where fulfilling dharma sustains cosmic stability ultimately under Vishnu’s sovereignty as the preserver of order.