Shloka 2

वंशस्मरण-फलम्, वैशालिका-प्रसङ्गः, रेवती-बलदेव-विवाहः, विष्णु-परतत्त्व-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

वर्णधर्मास् तथाख्याता धर्मा ये चाश्रमेषु वै श्रोतुम् इच्छाम्य् अहं वंशांस् तांस् त्वं प्रब्रूहि मे गुरो

Transliteration

varṇadharmās tathākhyātā dharmā ye cāśrameṣu vai śrotum icchāmy ahaṃ vaṃśāṃs tāṃs tvaṃ prabrūhi me guro

Translation

ท่านได้อธิบายหน้าที่ของวรรณะและธรรมะในแต่ละช่วงวัยแล้ว บัดนี้ข้าพเจ้าปรารถนาจะฟังเรื่องราวของราชวงศ์ ขอท่านโปรดเล่าลำดับวงศ์ตระกูลเหล่านั้นแก่ข้าพเจ้าด้วยเถิด ข้าแต่พระอาจารย์

Word by Word

• वर्णधर्माः: duties of the social classes
• वर्णधर्माः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural); समासः: वर्णस्य धर्माः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्ययम् (adverb: thus/so)

• आख्याताः: have been described
• आख्याताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + ख्या (धातु) → आख्यात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; वर्णधर्माः इति विशेषणम्

• धर्माः: duties/laws
• धर्माः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• ये: which
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural); सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun) धर्माः इति

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• आश्रमेषु: in the stages of life
• आश्रमेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रोतुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्तम् (infinitive), अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• इच्छामि: I wish
• इच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तम-पुरुषः (1st person), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• वंशान्: lineages
• वंशान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचनम् (Plural); वंशान् इति विशेषण-प्रयोगः

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

• प्रब्रूहि: tell
• प्रब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यम-पुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive or 4th/Dative), एकवचनम् (Singular); अत्र सम्प्रदानार्थे (dative sense)

• गुरो: O teacher
• गुरो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Request to hear the dynastic genealogies (vaṃśa) after varṇa/āśrama dharmas

Teaching: Genealogical

Quality: methodical, curriculum-setting

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma is presented as both normative practice (varṇa/āśrama) and historical embodiment through royal lineages that model order in society.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Study exemplary lives (itihāsa/purāṇa) alongside personal disciplines; let history-informed role models shape ethical decisions.

Vishishtadvaita: Genealogies are not mere history but manifestations of Bhagavān’s governance through righteous kings and avatāra-adjacent lineages, integrating the worldly and the sacred.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Sage Parāśara
• Vamsha (dynastic lineages)

FAQs

What is the significance of dynastic lineages (vaṃśa) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks the shift from ethical order (varna–āśrama dharma) to historical-sacred order (royal genealogies), presenting kingship and lineage as carriers of dharma across ages.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the text’s structure through this dialogue?

Maitreya’s request shows the Purana’s method: first establish dharma as the governing principle, then narrate dynasties to illustrate how that dharma is preserved, challenged, and restored through generations.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when the topic turns to human lineages, the Vishnu Purana treats history as unfolding under Vishnu’s sovereignty, with dharma and legitimate rule ultimately grounded in the Supreme Reality.