Shloka 13

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

क्षोभितः स तया सार्धं वर्षाणाम् अधिकं शतम् अतिष्ठन् मन्दरद्रोण्यां विषयासक्तमानसः

Transliteration

kṣobhitaḥ sa tayā sārdhaṃ varṣāṇām adhikaṃ śatam atiṣṭhan mandaradroṇyāṃ viṣayāsaktamānasaḥ

Translation

Stirred and unsettled by her, he remained with her for more than a hundred years in the hollow of Mandara, his mind bound fast to the objects of sense.

Word by Word

• क्षोभितः: agitated, disturbed
• क्षोभितः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तया: by her
• तया: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument; by her)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahakāraka (सह/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (prepositional adverb: ‘together with’)

• वर्षाणाम्: of years
• वर्षाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive of measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; परिमाणनिर्देशे

• अधिकम्: more than, exceeding
• अधिकम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; परिमाण-विशेषण

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (कर्म; measure/extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• अतिष्ठत्: stayed, remained
• अतिष्ठत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मन्दरद्रोण्याम्: in the valley of Mandara
• मन्दरद्रोण्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर-द्रोणी (प्रातिपदिक; मन्दर + द्रोणी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मन्दरस्य द्रोणी)

• विषयासक्तमानसः: whose mind was attached to sense-objects
• विषयासक्तमानसः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषय-आसक्त-मानस (प्रातिपदिक; विषय + आसक्त + मानस)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विषयेषु आसक्तं मानसं यस्य)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Consequences of sense-attachment: prolonged delusion even for ascetics.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: admonitory

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When the mind clings to viṣaya (sense-objects), time and discernment are swallowed, and even great merit is eclipsed by attachment.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Track ‘time-loss’ patterns (doom-scrolling, compulsions) as modern viṣaya; implement vrata-like limits and substitute sattvic routines.

Vishishtadvaita: Bondage is real (not illusory negation of the world) and arises from misdirected attachment; liberation comes by re-directing the same mind toward the Lord as its true support.

Characters & Entities

• Mandara (mountain)

FAQs

What is the significance of viṣaya-āsakti (attachment to sense-objects) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse uses a king’s prolonged stay—over a hundred years—to show how sensual attachment can imprison the mind and derail dharma, even for those meant to uphold order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the moral consequence of desire in this episode?

By emphasizing the length of time wasted and the mind’s fixation, Parāśara frames desire as a force that disturbs inner clarity and causes rulers to neglect rightful responsibilities.

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

Though not named in the verse, the broader Purāṇic teaching contrasts bondage to sense-objects with turning toward Vishnu as the supreme refuge and stabilizing reality that restores dharma and right order.