Shloka 12

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

Devanagari script

भूप पृच्छसि किं श्रेयः परमार्थं नु पृच्छसि श्रेयांस्य् अपरमार्थानि अशेषाण्य् एव भूपते

Transliteration

bhūpa pṛcchasi kiṃ śreyaḥ paramārthaṃ nu pṛcchasi śreyāṃsy aparamārthāni aśeṣāṇy eva bhūpate

Translation

O König, du fragst nach dem Heilsamen — doch fragst du nach dem höchsten Ziel selbst? Denn, o Herr der Erde, alle sogenannten „Güter“, die nicht in der höchsten Wahrheit wurzeln, sind am Ende gänzlich ohne letzte Substanz.

Word by Word

• भूप: O king
• भूप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• पृच्छसि: you ask
• पृच्छसि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• श्रेयः: the good/welfare
• श्रेयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• परमार्थम्: the highest purpose/ultimate truth
• परमार्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (परमः अर्थः)

• नु: indeed?/then?
• नु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (interrogative/emphatic particle)

• पृच्छसि: you ask
• पृच्छसि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्रेयांसि: goods/benefits
• श्रेयांसि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• अपरमार्थानि: non-ultimate (worldly)
• अपरमार्थानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- + परमार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक विशेषण (not-ultimate)

• अशेषाणि: all/without remainder
• अशेषाणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• भूपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• भूपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching within the Parāśara–Maitreya narration; addressing a kingly interlocutor in the cited line)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Only that ‘benefit’ rooted in paramārtha (the highest truth) is ultimately substantial; all other goods are finally non-ultimate.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Evaluate goals by their capacity to deepen dharma, devotion, and inner freedom rather than by short-term gain.

Vishishtadvaita: Paramārtha culminates in relation to the Supreme Person; finite goods are real but subordinate (śeṣa) to the highest end.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Viveka (discernment of ultimate vs. merely beneficial aims)

Key Kings: (unnamed) Bhūpa/Bhūpati

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• King (Bhūpa/Bhūpati)
• Sage Parāśara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of paramārtha (ultimate purpose) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse contrasts temporary ‘benefits’ with paramārtha, implying that only inquiry into the highest truth yields lasting welfare; everything else is ultimately non-final.

How does Sage Parāśara redirect questions about śreyas (welfare) toward a higher goal?

He challenges the king’s framing: asking for ‘good’ is incomplete unless it is tied to paramārtha, because non-ultimate goods do not endure or culminate in liberation.

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

Though not named in this line, the Vishnu Purana’s paramārtha is ultimately grounded in Vishnu as Supreme Reality; worldly sovereignty and gains are secondary to realizing that highest principle.