Shloka 34

कलौ धर्मसुलभता — व्यासोपाख्यानम् एवं संकीर्तन-प्रधानता

Devanagari script

स्वल्पेन हि प्रयत्नेन धर्मः सिध्यति वै कलौ नरैर् आत्मगुणाम्भोभिः क्षालिताखिलकिल्बिषैः

Transliteration

svalpena hi prayatnena dharmaḥ sidhyati vai kalau narair ātmaguṇāmbhobhiḥ kṣālitākhilakilbiṣaiḥ

Translation

ในกาลียุค มนุษย์ย่อมบรรลุธรรมะได้ด้วยความเพียรเพียงเล็กน้อย; ด้วยสายน้ำแห่งคุณธรรมที่ตนบ่มเพาะชำระมลทินบาปทั้งปวง จึงเป็นภาชนะอันควรแก่ระเบียบธรรมที่พระศรีวิษณุทรงค้ำจุนไว้

Word by Word

• स्वल्पेन: with little (effort)
• स्वल्पेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Instrumental singular neuter used adverbially: 'with little')

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

• प्रयत्नेन: by effort
• प्रयत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• सिध्यति: is accomplished
• सिध्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद (becomes accomplished)

• वै: certainly
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle), अव्यय (certainly/indeed)

• कलौ: in the Kali age
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Locative singular)

• नरैः: by men, by people
• नरैः: Karana (Agentive instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• आत्मगुणाम्भोभिः: with the waters of one’s own virtues
• आत्मगुणाम्भोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भस्/अम्भो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः गुणाः = आत्मगुणाः; तैः अम्भोभिः = आत्मगुणाम्भोभिः)

• क्षालिताखिलकिल्बिषैः: by those whose all sins have been washed away
• क्षालिताखिलकिल्बिषैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षालित (कृदन्त; √क्षल् धातु, क्त) + अखिल (प्रातिपदिक) + किल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past passive participle) + कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासः (अखिलकिल्बिष = सर्वपापम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Relative efficacy of dharma in Kali-yuga and the means by which beings attain merit with minimal effort

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In Kali-yuga, dharma becomes attainable with comparatively little exertion through inner purification by cultivated virtues that wash away sin.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Prioritize daily self-discipline (truthfulness, compassion, restraint) and regular self-review so that conduct itself becomes the ‘water’ cleansing faults.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is meaningful as service within the Lord’s order (niyati), implying the self’s dependence on Vishnu while practicing virtue.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Dharma

FAQs

What is the significance of Kali-yuga dharma in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse emphasizes that in Kali-yuga dharma can be fulfilled with comparatively little effort, provided one cultivates inner virtues that cleanse sinful tendencies.

How does Sage Parāśara explain purification in Kali-yuga?

He frames purification as an internal process: the ‘waters’ of one’s own virtues wash away all sin, making a person capable of establishing dharma even amid Kali-yuga’s decline.

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

Dharma’s success is ultimately tied to the cosmic order sustained by Vishnu; the verse implies that virtue-based purification aligns the individual with that divine order, making spiritual progress possible even in Kali-yuga.