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

Durch die verschiedenen Öffnungen der Flöte entstehen Unterschiede, die als Töne beginnend mit ṣaḍja bezeichnet werden; doch der Wind, der sie durchdringt, bleibt ungeteilt—so ist auch jene großseelige Wirklichkeit: eins, und doch als vieles erscheinend.

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)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Just as one undivided wind produces many musical notes through different flute apertures, the one Reality appears as many through differing conditions.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: When encountering diversity and conflict, recall the ‘flute-and-wind’ model: respond to forms without forgetting the single underlying consciousness.

Vishishtadvaita: Explains plurality as real modes/expressions conditioned by upādhis while the pervading principle remains one—amenable to qualified non-dual unity-in-diversity.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

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.