Shloka 70

Devanagari script

तद् एतद् अतिदुःखानाम् आस्पदे ऽत्र भवार्णवे भवतां कथ्यते सत्यं विष्णुर् एकः परायणः

Transliteration

tad etad atiduḥkhānām āspade 'tra bhavārṇave bhavatāṃ kathyate satyaṃ viṣṇur ekaḥ parāyaṇaḥ

Translation

In this ocean of becoming, the very abode of intense sorrow, I declare to you the truth: Vishnu alone is the single, final refuge.

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (anaphoric)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (this)

• atiduḥkhānām: of extreme sufferings
• atiduḥkhānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ati (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/अव्ययीभाव-प्रभाव (ati-duḥkha = extreme suffering)

• āspade: in the abode/seat
• āspade: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āspada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• bhavārṇave: in the ocean of worldly existence
• bhavārṇave: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhava (प्रातिपदिक) + arṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (bhavasya arṇave)

• bhavatām: of you
• bhavatām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; आदरार्थक (of you, respected)

• kathyate: is said/told
• kathyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• satyam: the truth
• satyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as object/content: 'the truth')

• viṣṇuḥ: Vishnu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ekaḥ: alone/one
• ekaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying viṣṇuḥ)

• parāyaṇaḥ: the supreme refuge
• parāyaṇaḥ: Pradhana-Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate nominative)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Resolution to the problem of pervasive duḥkha in saṃsāra and the means of deliverance

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate and conclusive

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In the sorrow-laden ocean of saṃsāra, Vishnu alone is the single ultimate refuge (ekaḥ parāyaṇaḥ).

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Adopt daily śaraṇāgati: prayerful dependence, nāma-smaraṇa, and offering actions to Vishnu, especially during anxiety and loss.

Vishishtadvaita: Directly supports Viśiṣṭādvaita: the jīva is real, dependent (śeṣa), and finds liberation by taking refuge in the real Supreme Person (Vishnu) as the sole parāyaṇa through grace.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of the “ocean of saṃsāra” (bhavārṇava) in the Vishnu Purana?

It portrays worldly existence as a vast, perilous cycle of birth and death filled with suffering, from which only divine refuge can deliver one.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the way out of intense suffering here?

He states a direct theological conclusion: in this very world that is an abode of great sorrow, the true and final recourse is Vishnu alone.

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

Vishnu is presented as the singular Supreme Refuge—an explicitly Vaishnava affirmation that liberation and protection ultimately rest in Him as the highest reality.