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Shloka 38

Bhakti-māhātmya: The Marks of the Vaiṣṇava and the Liberating Power of Exclusive Devotion

Devanagari script

विष्णुरेव परं ब्रह्म त्रिभेदमिह पठ्यते / वेदसिद्धान्तमार्गेषु तन्न जानन्ति मोहिताः

Transliteration

viṣṇureva paraṃ brahma tribhedamiha paṭhyate / vedasiddhāntamārgeṣu tanna jānanti mohitāḥ

Translation

Allein Viṣṇu ist das höchste Brahman; hier wird es als dreifach unterschieden gelehrt. Doch die Verblendeten erkennen diese Wahrheit nicht, selbst innerhalb der Wege, die auf den Veden und ihren feststehenden Lehrentscheidungen beruhen.

Word by Word
विष्णुःViṣṇu
विष्णुः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootविष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
एवindeed; alone
एव:
Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारण-निपात
परम्supreme
परम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (ब्रह्म इति)
ब्रह्मBrahman; the Absolute
ब्रह्म:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
त्रिभेदम्as threefold (in three divisions)
त्रिभेदम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootत्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः (त्रि-भेद = त्रयः भेदाः यस्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (पठ्यते इति)
इहhere; in this context
इह:
Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देश/प्रसङ्ग-निर्देशक
पठ्यतेis read; is taught
पठ्यते:
Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√पठ् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (is read/recited)
वेदसिद्धान्तमार्गेषुin the paths of Vedic doctrine
वेदसिद्धान्तमार्गेषु:
Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootवेद (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः (वेद-सिद्धान्त-मार्ग = वेदसिद्धान्तस्य मार्गः), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
तत्that (truth)
तत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
नnot
न:
Negation (निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध-निपात
जानन्तिknow
जानन्ति:
Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√ज्ञा (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद
मोहिताःdeluded
मोहिताः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Root√मुह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (जानन्ति इति कर्तृ)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu is Parabrahman; despite Vedic pathways, moha prevents recognition; ‘threefold distinction’ indicates a structured theological/ontological teaching (e.g., three aspects/levels) within the text’s framework.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman-viṣṇu-aikya; avidyā/mोह as obstacle to tattva-jñāna; necessity of right understanding (samyag-darśana) grounded in śruti-siddhānta.

Application: Study with a competent teacher, reconcile apparent doctrinal differences, and test understanding by whether it reduces moha and increases steadiness in dharma and devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated identification of Nārāyaṇa/Viṣṇu as supreme and liberative (general internal doctrinal parallel)

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
B
Brahman
V
Vedas

FAQs

This verse establishes a core theological conclusion: ultimate reality (Brahman) is identified with Viṣṇu, guiding the reader toward devotion and right understanding as a basis for liberation.

It indicates that the teaching presents the Supreme in a threefold framework (a doctrinal classification used in tradition), yet the verse stresses that the underlying truth remains Viṣṇu as the Supreme Brahman.

Study scripture with humility and clarity, avoid sectarian confusion or mere ritualism without understanding, and align practice—devotion, ethics, and contemplation—toward realization of the Supreme.

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