How Vishnu Is Worshipped: The Duties of the Four Varnas

Verse 1 (vishnu.3.8.1)

मैत्रेय उवाच भगवन्भगवान्देवः संसारविजिगीषुभिः । समाख्याहि जगन्नाथो विष्णुराराध्यते यथा

maitreya uvāca bhagavanbhagavāndevaḥ saṁsāravijigīṣubhiḥ samākhyāhi jagannātho viṣṇurārādhyate yathā

Maitreya said: O venerable one, tell me how the illustrious God, Vishnu the Lord of the world, is worshipped by men who seek to conquer this world of transmigration.

Verse 2 (vishnu.3.8.2)

आराधिताच्च गोविन्दादाराधनपरैर्नरैः । यत्प्राप्यते फलं श्रोतुं तच्चेच्छामि महामुने

ārādhitācca govindādārādhanaparairnaraiḥ yatprāpyate phalaṁ śrotuṁ taccecchāmi mahāmune

And the fruit that is obtained by men devoted to the worship of Govinda through that worship -- that too, O great sage, I wish to hear.

Verse 3 (vishnu.3.8.3)

श्रीपराशर उवाच यत्पृच्छति भवानेतत्सगरेण महात्मना । और्वः प्राह यथा पृष्टस्तन्मे निगदतः शृणु

śrīparāśara uvāca yatpṛcchati bhavānetatsagareṇa mahātmanā aurvaḥ prāha yathā pṛṣṭastanme nigadataḥ śṛṇu

Sri Parashara said: This very question you now ask was once asked by the great-souled Sagara; hear from me, as I relate it, how Aurva then answered.

Verse 4 (vishnu.3.8.4)

सगरः प्रणिपत्त्यैनमौर्वं पप्रच्छभार्गवम् । विष्णोराराधनोपायसंबन्धं मुनिसत्तम

sagaraḥ praṇipattyainamaurvaṁ papracchabhārgavam viṣṇorārādhanopāyasaṁbandhaṁ munisattama

O best of sages, Sagara, bowing down to Aurva of the line of Bhrigu, asked him this question concerning the means of worshipping Vishnu,

Verse 5 (vishnu.3.8.5)

फलं चाराधिते विष्णो यत्पुंसामभिजायते । स चाह पृष्टो यत्नेन तस्मै तन्मेखिलं शृणु

phalaṁ cārādhite viṣṇo yatpuṁsāmabhijāyate sa cāha pṛṣṭo yatnena tasmai tanmekhilaṁ śṛṇu

and the fruit that accrues to men from worshipping Vishnu. Being earnestly questioned, what he then said -- hear all of that from me.

Verse 6 (vishnu.3.8.6)

और्व उवाच भौमं मनोरथं स्वर्गं स्वर्गे रम्यं च यत्पदम् । प्राप्नोत्याराधिते विष्णौ निर्वाणमपि चोत्तमम्

aurva uvāca bhaumaṁ manorathaṁ svargaṁ svarge ramyaṁ ca yatpadam prāpnotyārādhite viṣṇau nirvāṇamapi cottamam

Aurva said: By worshipping Vishnu, a man attains earthly enjoyment, heaven, and even a delightful station within heaven, and also the supreme liberation.

Verse 7 (vishnu.3.8.7)

यद्यदिच्छति यावच्च फलमाराधितेऽच्युते । तत्तदाप्नोति राजेन्द्र भूरि स्वल्पमथापि वा

yadyadicchati yāvacca phalamārādhite'cyute tattadāpnoti rājendra bhūri svalpamathāpi vā

O king of kings, whatever, and however much, a man desires by worshipping Achyuta -- that fruit, whether great or small, he obtains.

Verse 8 (vishnu.3.8.8)

यत्तु पृच्छसि भूपाल कथामाराध्यते हरिः । तदहं सकलं तुभ्यं कथयामि निबोध मे

yattu pṛcchasi bhūpāla kathāmārādhyate hariḥ tadahaṁ sakalaṁ tubhyaṁ kathayāmi nibodha me

O king, that which you ask -- how Hari is to be worshipped -- all of that I now tell you; learn it from me.

Verse 9 (vishnu.3.8.9)

वर्णाश्रमाचारवता पुरुषेणपरः पुमान् । विष्णुराराध्यते पन्था नान्यस्तत्तोषकारकः

varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇaparaḥ pumān viṣṇurārādhyate panthā nānyastattoṣakārakaḥ

It is by a man conducting himself according to varna and ashrama that the Supreme Person, Vishnu, is worshipped; there is no other path that satisfies him.

Verse 10 (vishnu.3.8.10)

यजन्यज्ञान्यजत्येनं जपन्त्येनं जपन्नृप । निघ्नन्नन्यान्हिनस्त्येनं सर्वभूतो यतो हरिः

yajanyajñānyajatyenaṁ japantyenaṁ japannṛpa nighnannanyānhinastyenaṁ sarvabhūto yato hariḥ

O king, one who sacrifices worships him through sacrifices, one who recites worships him through recitation, one who strives worships him through striving -- for Hari is the very self of all beings.

Verse 11 (vishnu.3.8.11)

तस्मात्सदाचारवता पुरुषेण जनार्दनः । आराध्यस्तु स्ववर्णोक्तधर्मानुष्ठानकारिमा

tasmātsadācāravatā puruṣeṇa janārdanaḥ ārādhyastu svavarṇoktadharmānuṣṭhānakārimā

Therefore Janardana is worshipped by a man of good conduct -- by one who performs the duties prescribed for his own varna.

Verse 12 (vishnu.3.8.12)

ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वैश्यः शुद्रश्च पृथिवीपते । स्वधर्मतत्परो विष्णुमाराधयति नान्यथा

brāhmaṇaḥ kṣatriyo vaiśyaḥ śudraśca pṛthivīpate svadharmatatparo viṣṇumārādhayati nānyathā

O lord of the earth, the Brahmin, the Kshatriya, the Vaishya, and the Shudra -- each worships Vishnu only by devotion to his own proper duty, not otherwise.

Verse 13 (vishnu.3.8.13)

परापवादं पैशुन्यमनृतं च न भाषते । अन्योद्वेगकरं वापि तोष्यते तेनकेशवः

parāpavādaṁ paiśunyamanṛtaṁ ca na bhāṣate anyodvegakaraṁ vāpi toṣyate tenakeśavaḥ

He who does not speak slander of others, nor calumny, nor falsehood, nor anything that causes distress to another -- by him Keshava is satisfied.

Verse 14 (vishnu.3.8.14)

परदारपरद्रव्यपरहिंसासु यो रतिम् । न करोति पुमान्भूप तोष्यते तेन केशवः

paradāraparadravyaparahiṁsāsu yo ratim na karoti pumānbhūpa toṣyate tena keśavaḥ

O king, that man who takes no delight in another's wife, another's wealth, or in violence -- by him Keshava is satisfied.

Verse 15 (vishnu.3.8.15)

न ताडयति नो हन्ति प्राणिनो न च हिंसकः । यो मनुष्यो मनुष्येन्द्र तोष्यते तेन केशवः

na tāḍayati no hanti prāṇino na ca hiṁsakaḥ yo manuṣyo manuṣyendra toṣyate tena keśavaḥ

O lord of men, that man who neither beats nor kills any living creature, and is not violent -- by him Keshava is satisfied.

Verse 16 (vishnu.3.8.16)

देवाद्विजगुरूणां च शुश्रूषासु सदोद्यतः । तोष्यते तेन गोविन्दः पुरुषेणनरेश्वर

devādvijagurūṇāṁ ca śuśrūṣāsu sadodyataḥ toṣyate tena govindaḥ puruṣeṇanareśvara

O lord of men, that man who is ever devoted to the service of gods, Brahmins, and elders/teachers -- by him Govinda is satisfied.

Verse 17 (vishnu.3.8.17)

यथात्मनि च पुत्रे च सर्वभूतेषु यत्तथा । हितकामो हरिस्तेन सर्वदा तोष्यते सुखम्

yathātmani ca putre ca sarvabhūteṣu yattathā hitakāmo haristena sarvadā toṣyate sukham

He who desires the welfare of his son and of all beings just as he desires his own -- by him Hari is ever, and easily, satisfied.

Verse 18 (vishnu.3.8.18)

यस्य रागादिदोषेण न दुष्टं नृप मानसम् । विशुद्धचेतसा विष्णुस्तोष्यते तेन सर्वदा

yasya rāgādidoṣeṇa na duṣṭaṁ nṛpa mānasam viśuddhacetasā viṣṇustoṣyate tena sarvadā

O king, he whose mind is not corrupted by passion and the other faults -- by that man of purified consciousness, Vishnu is ever satisfied.

Verse 19 (vishnu.3.8.19)

वर्णाश्रमेषु ये धर्माः शास्त्रोक्ता मुनिसत्तम । तेषु तिष्ठन्नरो विष्णुमाराधयति नान्यथा

varṇāśrameṣu ye dharmāḥ śāstroktā munisattama teṣu tiṣṭhannaro viṣṇumārādhayati nānyathā

O best of sages, the man who abides in the duties prescribed by the scriptures for the varnas and ashramas worships Vishnu, and not otherwise.

Verse 20 (vishnu.3.8.20)

सगर उवाच तदहं श्रोतुमिच्छमि वर्णधर्मानशेषतः । तथैवाश्रमधर्मंश्च द्विजवर्य ब्रवीहि तान्

sagara uvāca tadahaṁ śrotumicchami varṇadharmānaśeṣataḥ tathaivāśramadharmaṁśca dvijavarya bravīhi tān

Sagara said: O best of Brahmins, I now wish to hear the duties of the varnas in full, and likewise the duties of the ashramas -- tell me these.

Verse 21 (vishnu.3.8.21)

और्व उवाच ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शुद्राणां च यथाकमम् । त्वमेकाग्रमतिर्भूत्वा शृणु धर्मान्मयोदितान्

aurva uvāca brāhmaṇakṣatriyaviśāṁ śudrāṇāṁ ca yathākamam tvamekāgramatirbhūtvā śṛṇu dharmānmayoditān

Aurva said: The duties of the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, in due order -- as I relate them, listen with one-pointed mind.

Verse 22 (vishnu.3.8.22)

दानं दद्याद्यजेद्देवान् यज्ञिः स्वाध्यायतत्परः । नित्योदकी भवेद्विप्रः कुर्याच्चाग्निपरिग्रहम्

dānaṁ dadyādyajeddevān yajñiḥ svādhyāyatatparaḥ nityodakī bhavedvipraḥ kuryāccāgniparigraham

Let him give gifts, worship the gods, perform sacrifices, and be devoted to the study of scripture; let the Brahmin daily perform the water-rites, and maintain the sacred fire.

Verse 23 (vishnu.3.8.23)

वृत्त्यर्थं याजयेच्चान्यानन्यानध्यापयेत्तथा । कुर्यात्प्रतिग्रहादानंशुक्लार्थान्न्यायतो द्विजः

vṛttyarthaṁ yājayeccānyānanyānadhyāpayettathā kuryātpratigrahādānaṁśuklārthānnyāyato dvijaḥ

For his livelihood, let him officiate as priest for others, and teach others; let the Brahmin also, in due and lawful manner, accept gifts for pure purposes.

Verse 24 (vishnu.3.8.24)

सर्वभूतहितं कुर्यान्नाहितं कस्याचिद्द्विजः । मैत्री समस्तभूतेषु ब्राह्मणस्योत्तमं धनम्

sarvabhūtahitaṁ kuryānnāhitaṁ kasyāciddvijaḥ maitrī samastabhūteṣu brāhmaṇasyottamaṁ dhanam

Let the Brahmin do good to all beings, and harm to none; friendliness toward all creatures is the Brahmin's supreme wealth.

Verse 25 (vishnu.3.8.25)

ग्राव्णिरत्ने च पारक्ये समबुद्धिर्भवेद्द्विजः । ऋतावभिगमः पत्न्यां शस्तते चास्य पार्थिव

grāvṇiratne ca pārakye samabuddhirbhaveddvijaḥ ṛtāvabhigamaḥ patnyāṁ śastate cāsya pārthiva

O king, the Brahmin should regard a clod of earth, a jewel, and another's wealth with an equal eye; and approaching his wife only during her proper season is praised for him.

Verse 26 (vishnu.3.8.26)

दानानि दद्यादिच्छातो द्विजेभ्यः क्षत्रियोपि वा । यजेच्च विविधैर्यज्ञैरधीयीत च पार्थिवः

dānāni dadyādicchāto dvijebhyaḥ kṣatriyopi vā yajecca vividhairyajñairadhīyīta ca pārthivaḥ

The Kshatriya too should, as he wishes, give gifts to Brahmins, perform sacrifice with various rites, and also study the scriptures.

Verse 27 (vishnu.3.8.27)

शस्त्राजीवो महीरक्षा प्रवरा तस्य जीविका । तत्रापि प्रथमः कल्पः पृथिवीपरिपालनम्

śastrājīvo mahīrakṣā pravarā tasya jīvikā tatrāpi prathamaḥ kalpaḥ pṛthivīparipālanam

Living by arms and protecting the earth is his foremost livelihood; and among those duties, the very first resort is the protection of the earth.

Verse 28 (vishnu.3.8.28)

धरित्रीपालनेनैव कृतकृत्या नराधिपाः । भवन्ति नृपतेरंशा यतो यज्ञादिकर्मणाम्

dharitrīpālanenaiva kṛtakṛtyā narādhipāḥ bhavanti nṛpateraṁśā yato yajñādikarmaṇām

By the protection of the earth alone, kings fulfil their purpose; for by that they too become sharers in the fruits of sacrifices and other rites.

Verse 29 (vishnu.3.8.29)

दुष्टानां शासनाद्राजा शिष्टानां परिपालनात् । प्राप्नोत्यभिमतांल्लोकान्वर्णसंस्थां करोति यः

duṣṭānāṁ śāsanādrājā śiṣṭānāṁ paripālanāt prāpnotyabhimatāṁllokānvarṇasaṁsthāṁ karoti yaḥ

By punishing the wicked and protecting the righteous, a king attains the worlds he desires -- that king who maintains the order of the varnas.

Verse 30 (vishnu.3.8.30)

पाशुपाल्यं च वाणिज्यं कृषिं च मनुजेश्वर । वैश्याय जीविकां ब्रह्मा ददौ लोकपितामहः

pāśupālyaṁ ca vāṇijyaṁ kṛṣiṁ ca manujeśvara vaiśyāya jīvikāṁ brahmā dadau lokapitāmahaḥ

O lord of men, Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, gave to the Vaishya, as his livelihood, animal husbandry, trade, and agriculture.

Verse 31 (vishnu.3.8.31)

तस्याप्यध्ययनं यज्ञो दानं धर्मश्च शस्यते । नित्यनैमित्तिकादीनामनुष्ठानं च कर्मणाम्

tasyāpyadhyayanaṁ yajño dānaṁ dharmaśca śasyate nityanaimittikādīnāmanuṣṭhānaṁ ca karmaṇām

For him too, study, sacrifice, charity, and righteousness are praised, and likewise the performance of the daily and occasional rites.

Verse 32 (vishnu.3.8.32)

द्विजातिसंश्रितं कर्म तादर्थ्यं तेन पोषणम् । क्रयविक्रयजैर्वापि धनैः कारूद्भवेन वा

dvijātisaṁśritaṁ karma tādarthyaṁ tena poṣaṇam krayavikrayajairvāpi dhanaiḥ kārūdbhavena vā

It is proper for him to support the twice-born through work dependent on them, and by wealth arising from buying and selling, or from craft.

Verse 33 (vishnu.3.8.33)

शुद्रस्य सन्नतिः शौचं सेवा स्वामिन्यमायया । अमन्त्रयज्ञो ह्यस्तेयं तत्संगो विप्ररक्षणम्

śudrasya sannatiḥ śaucaṁ sevā svāminyamāyayā amantrayajño hyasteyaṁ tatsaṁgo viprarakṣaṇam

The Shudra's duty is humility, purity, guileless service to his master, sacrifice without mantras, abstention from theft, and, through that same attachment, the protection of Brahmins.

Verse 34 (vishnu.3.8.34)

दानं च दद्याच्छूद्रोपि पाकयज्ञैर्यजेत च । पित्र्यादिकं च तत्सर्वं शुद्रः कुर्वीत तेन वै

dānaṁ ca dadyācchūdropi pākayajñairyajeta ca pitryādikaṁ ca tatsarvaṁ śudraḥ kurvīta tena vai

Let the Shudra too give gifts, and sacrifice with the cooked-offering rites; whatever pertains to the ancestral rites and the rest, let the Shudra perform all of that in this same way.

Verse 35 (vishnu.3.8.35)

भृत्यादिभरणार्थाय सर्वेषां च परिग्रहः । ऋतुकालेभिगमनं स्वदारेषु महीपते

bhṛtyādibharaṇārthāya sarveṣāṁ ca parigrahaḥ ṛtukālebhigamanaṁ svadāreṣu mahīpate

O lord of the earth, for the maintenance of servants and dependents, marriage is proper for all, and approaching one's own wife only in her proper season.

Verse 36 (vishnu.3.8.36)

दया समस्तभूतेषु तितिक्षा नातिमानिता । सत्यं शौचमनायासो मङ्गलं प्रियवादिता

dayā samastabhūteṣu titikṣā nātimānitā satyaṁ śaucamanāyāso maṅgalaṁ priyavāditā

Compassion toward all beings, forbearance, freedom from excessive pride, truthfulness, purity, ease of temper, auspiciousness, and speaking pleasant words,

Verse 37 (vishnu.3.8.37)

मैत्र्यस्पृहा तथा तद्वदकार्पण्यंनरेश्वर । अनसूया च सामान्यवर्णानां कथिता गुणाः

maitryaspṛhā tathā tadvadakārpaṇyaṁnareśvara anasūyā ca sāmānyavarṇānāṁ kathitā guṇāḥ

O lord of men, friendliness, freedom from desire, and likewise open-handedness, and freedom from envy -- these are declared to be the qualities common to all the varnas.

Verse 38 (vishnu.3.8.38)

आश्रमाणां च सर्वेषामेते सामान्यलक्षणाः । गुणांस्तथापद्धर्मांश्च विप्रादीनामिमाञ्छृणु

āśramāṇāṁ ca sarveṣāmete sāmānyalakṣaṇāḥ guṇāṁstathāpaddharmāṁśca viprādīnāmimāñchṛṇu

These are also the common characteristics of all the ashramas. Now hear from me also the special qualities and the emergency-duties (apad-dharma) of the Brahmin and the rest.

Verse 39 (vishnu.3.8.39)

क्षात्त्रं कर्म द्विजस्योक्तं वैश्यं कर्म तथा पदि । राजन्यस्य च वैश्योक्तं शूद्रकर्म न चैतयोः

kṣāttraṁ karma dvijasyoktaṁ vaiśyaṁ karma tathā padi rājanyasya ca vaiśyoktaṁ śūdrakarma na caitayoḥ

In times of distress, the Kshatriya's occupation is prescribed for the Brahmin, and likewise the Vaishya's; for the Kshatriya, the Vaishya's occupation is prescribed, but the Shudra's occupation is not for either of these two.

Verse 40 (vishnu.3.8.40)

सामर्थ्ये सति तत्त्याज्यमुभाभ्यामपि पार्थिव । तदेवापदि कर्तव्यं न कुर्यात्कर्मसंकरम्

sāmarthye sati tattyājyamubhābhyāmapi pārthiva tadevāpadi kartavyaṁ na kuryātkarmasaṁkaram

O king, when one is able [to follow one's own duty], that emergency-occupation is to be abandoned by both; it is to be followed only in distress -- one should never allow a confusion of duties.

Verse 41 (vishnu.3.8.41)

इत्येते कथिता राजन्वर्णधर्मा मया तव । धर्मानाश्रमिणां सम्यग्ब्रुवतो मे निशामय

ityete kathitā rājanvarṇadharmā mayā tava dharmānāśramiṇāṁ samyagbruvato me niśāmaya

Thus, O king, have the duties of the varnas been told to you by me. Now hear attentively as I duly tell you also the duties of those in the [four] ashramas.