Shloka 83

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

एते भिन्नदृशां दैत्या विकल्पाः कथिता मया कृत्वाभ्युपगमं तत्र संक्षेपः श्रूयतां मम

Transliteration

ete bhinnadṛśāṃ daityā vikalpāḥ kathitā mayā kṛtvābhyupagamaṃ tatra saṃkṣepaḥ śrūyatāṃ mama

Translation

Thus, O Daitya, I have set forth the various alternatives held by those of differing views. Now, having granted them their due place for the sake of discussion, listen to my concise conclusion.

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन (pronoun nom pl)

• भिन्नदृशाम्: of those of differing views
• भिन्नदृशाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिन्न (कृदन्त; √भिद्) + दृश्/दृशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; बहुवचन (masc gen pl); बहुव्रीहिः (भिन्ना दृशा येषाम्)

• दैत्या: Daityas (demons)
• दैत्या: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन (masc nom pl)

• विकल्पाः: alternatives/positions
• विकल्पाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन (masc nom pl)

• कथिताः: have been stated
• कथिताः: Kriya (Predicative action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथित (कृदन्त; √कथ्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन (masc nom pl); कर्मणि प्रयोग-सूचक (told/said)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (instr sg: by me)

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): having done

• अभ्युपगमम्: acceptance/assumption
• अभ्युपगमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्युपगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (masc acc sg)

• तत्र: there/in that context
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: there/in that matter)

• संक्षेपः: summary
• संक्षेपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (masc nom sg)

• श्रूयताम्: let (it) be heard
• श्रूयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (let it be heard)

• मम: my/of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन (gen sg: of me/my)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; addressing a Daitya within the cited discourse)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Summarizing and adjudicating differing philosophical views before giving the siddhānta (conclusion)

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After presenting rival doctrines, the teacher now moves to a concise siddhānta, implying that truth is to be settled by discriminative synthesis.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Study differing viewpoints fairly, then adopt a coherent practice-aligned conclusion rather than remaining trapped in debate.

Vishishtadvaita: Method of pūrvapakṣa-siddhānta anticipates Vedāntic reasoning used in Vishishtadvaita: plurality of views resolved in a theistic non-dual conclusion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Characters & Entities

• Daitya

FAQs

What is the significance of presenting differing views in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse signals a deliberate method: alternative doctrines are first acknowledged and articulated, then a concise conclusion is given to establish the Purana’s intended siddhānta.

How does Sage Parāśara explain philosophical disagreement in this chapter?

He frames disagreements as “vikalpas” held by bhinna-dṛś (those of different outlooks), concedes them for discussion, and then transitions to a summarizing statement meant to clarify the core teaching.

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

Even when multiple viewpoints are presented, the narrative movement toward a final ‘saṃkṣepa’ typically serves to reaffirm a coherent cosmic and theological order—ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty.