Shloka 1

यमस्य अधिकारभङ्गः — वैष्णवस्य लक्षणम्

Freedom from Yama through Hari-śaraṇāgati

Devanagari script

यथावत् कथितं सर्वं यत् पृष्टो ऽसि मया गुरो श्रोतुम् इच्छाम्य् अहं त्व् एकं तद् भवान् प्रब्रवीतु मे

Transliteration

yathāvat kathitaṃ sarvaṃ yat pṛṣṭo 'si mayā guro śrotum icchāmy ahaṃ tv ekaṃ tad bhavān prabravītu me

Translation

O Guru, du hast alles, wonach ich fragte, ordnungsgemäß erklärt. Doch ich sehne mich danach, noch einen Punkt zu hören; bitte sprich auch den zu mir.

Word by Word

• yathāvat: properly, in due manner
• yathāvat: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: properly)

• kathitam: told, narrated
• kathitam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kath (धातु) → kathita (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘sarvam’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• sarvam: everything
• sarvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; (object of implied ‘kathitam’)

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• pṛṣṭaḥ: (having been) asked
• pṛṣṭaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prach (धातु) → pṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘asi’ सह विधेयम्

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• guro: O teacher
• guro: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• śrotum: to hear
• śrotum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु) → śrotum (तुमुन्-प्रत्यय, infinitive)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); श्रवणार्थे

• icchāmi: I desire
• icchāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tu: indeed, now
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधानार्थक निपात (particle: indeed/now)

• ekam: one (thing)
• ekam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; निर्देशार्थक

• bhavān: your honor, you
• bhavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

• prabravītu: please tell, declare
• prabravītu: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√brū (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• me: to me
• me: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Request for one further point after prior explanations

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: humble

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True learning proceeds by respectful, focused inquiry after assimilating what has been taught.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: After completing one study unit, formulate the next question precisely; cultivate humility and continuity in practice.

Vishishtadvaita: Embodies prapatti-like humility in the seeker’s approach to authoritative instruction (ācārya–śiṣya paramparā).

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Parāśara

FAQs

What is the significance of Maitreya’s continued inquiry in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals that the teaching proceeds step-by-step: after hearing prior explanations, the disciple requests one further, clarifying point, allowing the Purana’s cosmology and theology to unfold in an ordered way.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the teachings—why this dialogue structure?

The Purana is framed as a guru answering a disciple’s successive questions; this verse marks the transition where Maitreya confirms what he has heard and asks for an additional, focused teaching.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in this verse, the request for “one more” essential point anticipates the text’s central aim: to ground creation and order in the sovereignty of Vishnu as the Supreme Reality.