Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

तपांसि मम नष्टानि हतं ब्रह्मविदां धनम् हृतो विवेकः केनापि योषिन् मोहाय निर्मिता

Transliteration

tapāṃsi mama naṣṭāni hataṃ brahmavidāṃ dhanam hṛto vivekaḥ kenāpi yoṣin mohāya nirmitā

Translation

My austerities are ruined; the treasure of the knowers of Brahman is struck down. Someone has stolen my discernment—this woman has been fashioned as a snare of delusion.

Word by Word

• तपांसि: austerities
• तपांसि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive, Singular)

• नष्टानि: destroyed
• नष्टानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट (कृदन्त; √नश् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Neuter, Nom/Acc Pl; past passive participle)

• हतम्: slain/destroyed
• हतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (कृदन्त; √हन् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Neuter, Nom/Acc Sg; past passive participle)

• ब्रह्मविदाम्: of the knowers of Brahman
• ब्रह्मविदाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मविद् (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मन् + विद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• हृतः: taken away
• हृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृत (कृदन्त; √हृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; past passive participle)

• विवेकः: discernment
• विवेकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• केनापि: by someone or other
• केनापि: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'अपि' सह (Instrumental, Singular; with particle 'api')

• योषित्: a woman
• योषित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योषित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• मोहाय: for delusion
• मोहाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Dative, Singular)

• निर्मिता: created
• निर्मिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मित (कृदन्त; निर् + √मा (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Feminine, Nominative, Singular; past passive participle)

Speaker

Unspecified in the provided excerpt (a male ascetic/knower lamenting loss of tapas and viveka within the Parasara–Maitreya narrative frame)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The peril of kāma and saṅga for ascetics, and how delusion can overthrow tapas and brahma-jñāna-oriented discipline

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: admonitory and psychologically incisive

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even one intent on Brahman may lose viveka when kāma, personified through alluring forms, eclipses discrimination and undermines tapas.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Guard attention and senses; avoid situations that inflame craving, and re-establish discernment through daily self-review and disciplined boundaries.

Vishishtadvaita: Brahman is knowable, yet the jīva’s agency is conditioned by guṇas; hence reliance on disciplined devotion and grace is implied to steady viveka.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of viveka (discernment) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse frames viveka as the essential spiritual safeguard; when it is “stolen,” even accumulated tapas collapses and the seeker falls into मोह (delusion).

How does Sage Parasara explain delusion and downfall in such episodes?

Within the Purana’s didactic storytelling, Parasara uses cautionary laments like this to show that attachment can overpower prior merit, and that disciplined discrimination is required to remain aligned with dharma.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s underlying theology treats liberation as stability in true knowledge under the Supreme Reality; this warning highlights the need to transcend māyā and rest in the higher order upheld by Vishnu.