Shloka 31

यमस्य अधिकारभङ्गः — वैष्णवस्य लक्षणम्

Freedom from Yama through Hari-śaraṇāgati

Devanagari script

अशुभमतिर् असत्प्रवृत्तिसक्तः सततम् अनार्यविशालसङ्गमत्तः अनुदिनकृतपापबन्धयत्नः पुरुषपशुर् न हि वासुदेवभक्तः

Transliteration

aśubhamatir asatpravṛttisaktaḥ satatam anāryaviśālasaṅgamattaḥ anudinakṛtapāpabandhayatnaḥ puruṣapaśur na hi vāsudevabhaktaḥ

Translation

Wessen Geist auf das Unheilvolle gerichtet ist, wer an ungerechtem Verhalten festhält, wer ständig durch den Umgang mit den Niederträchtigen berauscht ist und wer Tag für Tag danach strebt, die Fesseln der Sünde zu straffen – ein solcher Mensch ist nur ein Tier in menschlicher Gestalt und kein Geweihter Vasudevas.

Word by Word

• aśubha-matiḥ: one of evil mind
• aśubha-matiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśubha (प्रातिपदिक) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अशुभा मतिः)

• asat-pravṛtti-saktaḥ: attached to wicked conduct
• asat-pravṛtti-saktaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asat (प्रातिपदिक) + pravṛtti (प्रातिपदिक) + sakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (असत्यां/असत्-प्रवृत्तौ सक्तः) — विशेषण (implicit subject)

• satatam: always
• satatam: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satatam (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• anārya-viśāla-saṅga-mattaḥ: intoxicated by association with great (many) ignoble people
• anārya-viśāla-saṅga-mattaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anārya (प्रातिपदिक) + viśāla (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + matta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अनार्य-विशाल-सङ्गेन मत्तः) — विशेषण

• anudina-kṛta-pāpa-bandha-yatnaḥ: striving daily to bind (himself) with sins
• anudina-kṛta-pāpa-bandha-yatnaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anudina (अव्यय) + kṛta (कृदन्त, क्त) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + bandha (प्रातिपदिक) + yatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अनुदिनं कृत-पाप-बन्धे यत्नः यस्य) — विशेषण

• puruṣa-paśuḥ: a human beast
• puruṣa-paśuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + paśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पुरुषः इव पशुः)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• vāsudeva-bhaktaḥ: a devotee of Vāsudeva
• vāsudeva-bhaktaḥ: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsudeva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वासुदेवस्य भक्तः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Negative markers of devotion: attachment to asat-pravṛtti, bad company, and deliberate accumulation of pāpa

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: stern

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Persistent attachment to unrighteous action and corrupting association, with intentional reinforcement of sin’s bonds, renders one ‘puruṣa-paśu’ and unfit for Vāsudeva-bhakti.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Change saṅga (company), adopt daily restraints (yama/niyama), and replace compulsive habits with regular sādhana and service.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhakti requires sattva-śuddhi: since the jīva is the Lord’s mode (prakāra), degrading conduct obscures its natural śeṣatva (belonging-to-God) and blocks loving surrender.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Vasudeva

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of bad association (anārya-saṅga) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse treats ignoble company as spiritually intoxicating and as a direct cause of attachment to unrighteous behavior, making genuine devotion to Vāsudeva impossible.

How does Sage Parāśara explain who is not a true devotee of Vāsudeva?

Parāśara defines the non-devotee by inner disposition and daily conduct: an impure mind, attachment to asat-pravṛtti, delight in base company, and continual effort that reinforces sinful bondage.

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

Vāsudeva is presented as the Supreme Lord whose bhakti requires moral and mental purification; devotion is not mere claim or ritual but alignment with dharma that loosens the bonds of pāpa.