Shloka 155

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

Devanagari script

समचेता जगत्य् अस्मिन् यः सर्वेष्व् एव जन्तुषु यथात्मनि तथान्यत्र परं मैत्रगुणान्वितः

Transliteration

samacetā jagaty asmin yaḥ sarveṣv eva jantuṣu yathātmani tathānyatra paraṃ maitraguṇānvitaḥ

Translation

He who moves through this world with an even mind, regarding every living being as he regards his own self—seeing the same reality here and elsewhere—becomes supremely endowed with maitri, universal friendliness.

Word by Word

• samacetāḥ: equanimous
• samacetāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier of ‘yaḥ’/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—‘समं चेतः यस्य सः’ (समचित्तः)

• jagati: in the world
• jagati: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• sarveṣu: in all
• sarveṣu: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; ‘जन्तुषु’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Nipata (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• jantuṣu: among beings/creatures
• jantuṣu: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• yathā: as/just as
• yathā: Upamana (Comparison marker/उपमान-निर्देशक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (comparative adverb)

• ātmani: in oneself
• ātmani: Adhikarana (Reference locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• tathā: so/likewise
• tathā: Upamana (Correlative/तथाशब्द)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: तुल्यतावाचक-अव्यय (correlative adverb)

• anyatra: elsewhere/in others
• anyatra: Adhikarana (Adverbial location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: elsewhere/in others)

• param: supreme/excellent
• param: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘मैत्रगुणान्वितः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (intensifier: supreme)

• maitra-guṇa-anvitaḥ: endowed with the quality of friendliness
• maitra-guṇa-anvitaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier of ‘yaḥ’/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: maitra (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—‘मैत्रगुणैः अन्वितः’ (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Marks of the sādhū—equanimity and universal friendliness grounded in true vision.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Seeing all beings with the same regard as oneself (sama-darśana) culminates in maitri—universal friendliness.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice empathy and non-harm in daily interactions; consciously extend equal regard beyond one’s in-group.

Vishishtadvaita: Sama-darśana is grounded not in erasing distinctions but in recognizing all jīvas as the Lord’s body (śarīra) and thus worthy of equal care.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• All living beings (jantu)

FAQs

What is the significance of maitri (universal friendliness) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents maitri as the natural result of seeing all beings with the same regard as oneself—an ethical hallmark of dharma that supports spiritual realization.

How does Sage Parāśara explain equal-mindedness (samatā) here?

Parāśara defines samatā as an even mind that extends self-like concern to every creature, dissolving the boundary between “me” and “others” in daily conduct.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching aligns with Vaishnava theology: recognizing one sustaining Supreme Reality behind all beings naturally expresses itself as compassion, restraint, and universal goodwill.