Shloka 73

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

वृद्धो ऽहं मम कार्याणि समस्तानि न गोचरे किं करिष्यामि मन्दात्मा समर्थेन न यत् कृतम्

Transliteration

vṛddho 'haṃ mama kāryāṇi samastāni na gocare kiṃ kariṣyāmi mandātmā samarthena na yat kṛtam

Translation

“I am old; all my duties are no longer within my reach. What can I do now—wretched in spirit—when even in my strength I failed to do what ought to have been done?”

Word by Word

• वृद्धः: an old man
• वृद्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• कार्याणि: tasks/duties
• कार्याणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचनम्

• समस्तानि: all/entire
• समस्तानि: Karma (Qualifier of object/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (कार्याणि-विशेषण)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation marker/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• गोचरे: within reach/scope
• गोचरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचनम्

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Interrogative object/प्रश्न-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचनम्; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• करिष्यामि: will I do
• करिष्यामि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुषः (1st), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• मन्दात्मा: one of dull mind
• मन्दात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्द + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; कर्मधारय-समासः (मन्दः आत्मा यस्य/मन्द आत्मा)

• समर्थेन: by a capable (one)
• समर्थेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (implicit agent: 'by a capable (person)')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation marker/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Relative object/सम्बन्ध-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धवाचक/यत्-शब्दः

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: Karma (Predicate adjective to 'yat'/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम्; यत्-विशेषणम्

Speaker

A lamenting aged king (within the dynastic narrative related by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Regret at old age when duties and spiritual aims were neglected during strength and youth.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: sobering

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Old age exposes the cost of negligence: when capacity is gone, remorse cannot replace timely right action.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Act while ‘samartha’: begin discipline early, simplify desires, and prioritize lasting goods over transient tasks.

Vishishtadvaita: Highlights human dependence and finitude (śeṣatva), urging surrender and timely practice rather than egoic postponement.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of old age and regret in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It underscores impermanence and the urgency of fulfilling dharma while one has strength; later remorse cannot recover neglected duty.

How does Sage Parāśara explain moral responsibility through dynastic stories?

By placing inner reflections (like this lament) inside royal genealogies, he shows that lineage and power are secondary to timely, righteous action aligned with dharma.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the verse assumes a cosmos governed by dharma—Vishnu’s sustaining order—where action and accountability shape a ruler’s fate.