Shloka 97

Devanagari script

तस्याभिमानम् ऋद्धिं च महिमानं निरीक्ष्य च देवासुराणाम् आचार्यः श्लोकम् अत्रोशना जगौ

Transliteration

tasyābhimānam ṛddhiṃ ca mahimānaṃ nirīkṣya ca devāsurāṇām ācāryaḥ ślokam atrośanā jagau

Translation

Beholding his pride, his swelling prosperity, and his imposing grandeur, Śukra—the preceptor of both Devas and Asuras—uttered here a verse of admonition.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/its
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सम्भव (Pronoun)

• अभिमानम्: pride, self-conceit
• अभिमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• ऋद्धिम्: prosperity, increase
• ऋद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (Conjunction)

• महिमानम्: greatness, majesty
• महिमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• निरीक्ष्य: having observed
• निरीक्ष्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्यय-भाव (Indeclinable verbal)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (Conjunction)

• देव: of gods
• देव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: देव + असुर (द्वन्द्व), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• असुराणाम्: and of demons
• असुराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपद (देवासुराणाम्) अन्तर्गत; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• आचार्यः: the teacher
• आचार्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• श्लोकम्: a verse
• श्लोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (Adverb of place)

• उशना: Uśanā (Śukra)
• उशना: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उशनस्/उशना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); ऋषिनाम (Name: Uśanā/Śukra)

• जगौ: sang/uttered
• जगौ: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrator) describing Śukra/Uśanas speaking next

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Dhruva’s rise and the moral lesson drawn from his attainment; Śukra’s admonitory utterance upon seeing pride and prosperity

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prosperity and greatness can inflate ego; the wise respond with corrective counsel before pride hardens into downfall.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat success as a test: invite honest feedback, practice humility, and redirect achievement toward dharma and service.

Vishishtadvaita: Moral discipline is framed as a means to align the finite self with the Lord’s order (niyati), tempering ego (ahaṅkāra) through dharmic guidance.

Characters & Entities

• Uśanas (Śukra)
• Devas
• Asuras
• Ācārya (preceptor)

FAQs

What is the significance of Śukra (Uśanas) being called the teacher of Devas and Asuras in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights Śukra’s role as a universal preceptor whose counsel applies beyond factional boundaries, emphasizing dharma as a higher law than mere allegiance.

How does the Vishnu Purana treat pride (abhimāna) in contexts of power and prosperity?

This verse signals a moral turning point: when pride rises alongside prosperity and grandeur, authoritative instruction is required to restore humility and right conduct.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the Purana frames moral order as grounded in the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—so admonitions against pride function as safeguards of the divinely sustained cosmic order.