Shloka 13

विषप्रयोगः कृत्योत्पादनं च (प्रह्लादस्य अवध्यता, कृत्याविनाशः, पुरोहितानां रक्षणम्)

Devanagari script

तस्मात् परित्यजैनां त्वं विपक्षस्तवसंहिताम् वाच्यः पिता समस्तानां गुरूणां परमो गुरुः

Transliteration

tasmāt parityajaināṃ tvaṃ vipakṣastavasaṃhitām vācyaḥ pitā samastānāṃ gurūṇāṃ paramo guruḥ

Translation

Therefore, abandon this hostile stance you have gathered within yourself. Speak of Him who is the Father of all, the supreme Teacher, the Teacher of all teachers.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (हेतौ/तस्मात्-प्रयोगः), पञ्चमी-अर्थे (from that/therefore)

• परित्यज: abandon, give up
• परित्यज: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एनाम्: this (her/it)
• एनाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विपक्षः: opponent, hostile side
• विपक्षः: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• संहिताम्: association, alliance, adherence
• संहिताम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वाच्यः: should be spoken of/called
• वाच्यः: Vidhana (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/passive necessity), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (पिता)

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• समस्तानाम्: of all
• समस्तानाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (गुरूणाम्)

• गुरूणाम्: of teachers
• गुरूणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• परमः: supreme, highest
• परमः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गुरुः)

• गुरुः: teacher, preceptor
• गुरुः: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya; exhorting right theological focus)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Prahlāda’s devotion and the attempts to turn him away from Viṣṇu

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True instruction culminates in glorifying the supreme Father and Guru, rather than entrenching oneself in oppositional pride.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Replace reactive identity-conflicts with daily stuti/namajapa and study that centers the ‘Guru of all gurus’ as the highest reference-point.

Vishishtadvaita: Supreme Lord as ‘paramo guruḥ’ grounds all valid knowledge; devotion and instruction are relational (jīva as dependent, Lord as śeṣi).

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Teaching (Prahlada's schools)

Bhakti Quality: Firm praise (stuti) of the supreme Guru while remaining inwardly unattached to hostile counsel

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Gurus/Teachers

FAQs

What is the significance of calling the Supreme 'the teacher of all teachers' in the Vishnu Purana?

It establishes Vishnu/Nārāyaṇa as the ultimate source of all knowledge and authority, beyond all human and divine instructors.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the proper approach to theological inquiry here?

He urges abandoning a combative or oppositional posture and redirecting speech toward the highest principle—the universal Father and supreme Guru.

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

Vishnu is implied as the supreme reality who grounds all dharma and wisdom, making Him the final reference point for teaching and liberation.