Shloka 32

परमार्थ-निर्णयः—श्रेयस्-भेदः, कर्म-ध्यान-सीमा, एकात्मदर्शनम्

Devanagari script

वेणुरन्ध्रविभेदेन भेदः षड्जादिसंज्ञितः अभेदव्यापिनो वायोस् तथा तस्य महात्मनः

Transliteration

veṇurandhravibhedena bhedaḥ ṣaḍjādisaṃjñitaḥ abhedavyāpino vāyos tathā tasya mahātmanaḥ

Translation

বাঁহীৰ ৰন্ধ্ৰভেদৰ বাবে ষড়জ আদি স্বৰভেদ দেখা যায়; কিন্তু তাত ব্যাপ্ত বায়ু অবিভক্তই থাকে—তেমনি সেই মহাত্ম তত্ত্ব এক হৈও বহু ৰূপে প্ৰতীয়মান।

Word by Word

वेणुरन्ध्रविभेदेनby the differentiation of the flute-holes

भेदःdifference/variation

षड्जादिसंज्ञितःdesignated as ṣaḍja and so on

अभेदव्यापिनःof the all-pervading non-difference

वायोःof the wind/air

तथाlikewise

तस्यof him/of that

महात्मनःof the great-souled one

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

Vayu (wind/breath)

Nada (sound principle)

Shadja (musical note)

FAQs

What is the significance of the flute-and-wind analogy in the Vishnu Purana?

It explains how many distinct forms (like musical notes) can arise from different conditions, while the underlying pervading principle (like wind/breath) remains one and undivided.

How does Sage Parāśara explain unity and diversity here?

He shows that differentiation belongs to the ‘channels’ or limiting conditions (the flute holes), not to the pervading essence; likewise, the Supreme remains one even when experienced as manifold.

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

The verse supports a Vaishnava metaphysics where the Supreme (identified with Vishnu in the Purana’s broader teaching) is the all-pervading reality—unchanged in essence, yet the ground of all manifested plurality.