Shloka 17

यमस्य अधिकारभङ्गः — वैष्णवस्य लक्षणम्

Freedom from Yama through Hari-śaraṇāgati

Devanagari script

क्षितिजलपरमाणवो ऽनिलान्ते पुनर् अपि यान्ति यथैकतां धरित्र्याः सुरपशुमनुजादयस् तथान्ते गुणकलुषेण सनातनेन तेन

Transliteration

kṣitijalaparamāṇavo 'nilānte punar api yānti yathaikatāṃ dharitryāḥ surapaśumanujādayas tathānte guṇakaluṣeṇa sanātanena tena

Translation

Wie die winzigen Teilchen von Erde und Wasser am Ende des Windlaufs wieder in die Einheit mit der Erdmasse eingehen, so werden auch am letzten Ende Götter, Tiere, Menschen und die übrigen durch jenes ewige Prinzip—das durch die verdunkelnde Unreinheit der Guṇas hervortritt—zur Einheit zurückgeführt.

Word by Word

• क्षितिजलपरमाणवः: atoms/particles of earth and water
• क्षितिजलपरमाणवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति-जला-परमाणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (क्षिति + जल + परमाणवः)

• अनिलान्ते: at the end of (the dissolution into) air
• अनिलान्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिलान्त (प्रातिपदिक) = अनिल + अन्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अनिलस्य अन्ते)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण ‘again’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात ‘also/even’

• यान्ति: go/attain
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamana (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय ‘as/just as’

• एकताम्: oneness
• एकताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धरित्र्याः: of the earth
• धरित्र्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सुरपशुमनुजादयः: gods, animals, humans, etc.
• सुरपशुमनुजादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-पशु-मनुज-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (सुर + पशु + मनुज + आदि)

• तथा: so
• तथा: Upamana (Correlation/तथात्व)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय ‘so/thus’

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘at the end’

• गुणकलुषेण: by the impurity of the guṇas
• गुणकलुषेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुणकलुष (प्रातिपदिक) = गुण + कलुष
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (गुणैः कलुषः)

• सनातनेन: eternal
• सनातनेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गुणकलुषेण)

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How multiplicity resolves into unity at the end, and the role of guṇas in manifestation

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: At dissolution, differentiated beings and elements re-merge into unity under the eternal principle, while guṇas account for the apparent obscuration and variety during manifestation.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Contemplate impermanence and cultivate detachment; use this insight to prioritize liberation-oriented devotion over transient identities.

Vishishtadvaita: Guṇas and prakṛti explain real plurality as modes under the Lord’s governance; the eternal principle gathers all without negating His supremacy.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Devas (gods)
• Humans
• Animals
• Prakriti (guṇas)

FAQs

What is the significance of dissolution (pralaya) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames pralaya as a return to unity: all classes of beings (gods, humans, animals) are re-absorbed, like scattered particles merging back into the earth, emphasizing cosmic order and periodic re-integration.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of the guṇas in cosmic processes?

He indicates that manifestation and its ending occur through guṇa-conditioned reality (guṇa-kaluṣa): the guṇas veil and shape differentiated existence, and their conditioning is integral to how beings return to an undivided state.

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

Even when not named explicitly, the “eternal principle” (sanātana) aligns with Vishnu as the supreme ground into which multiplicity resolves, supporting Vaishnava metaphysics where all cycles culminate in the Supreme Reality.