Shloka 39

प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

तद् एभिर् अलम् अत्यर्थं दुष्टारम्भोक्तिविस्तरैः अविद्यान्तर्गतैर् यत्नः कर्तव्यस् तात शोभने

Transliteration

tad ebhir alam atyarthaṃ duṣṭārambhoktivistaraiḥ avidyāntargatair yatnaḥ kartavyas tāta śobhane

Translation

Enough—more than enough—of these long-winded speeches that begin in crooked intent and remain enclosed within ignorance. Dear one, direct your effort toward what is truly auspicious and ennobling.

Word by Word

• तत्: that/so
• तत्: Sambandha (Anaphoric reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom/Acc), एकवचनम्; वाक्योपसंहारार्थम् (anaphoric)

• एभिः: by/with these
• एभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचनम्

• अलम्: enough (of)
• अलम्: Prayojana/Pratishedha (Enough/cessation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध/पर्याप्त्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (particle: 'enough, stop')

• अत्यर्थम्: excessively
• अत्यर्थम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यर्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: 'excessively')

• दुष्टारम्भोक्तिविस्तरैः: with expansions of speech that begin wickedly
• दुष्टारम्भोक्तिविस्तरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट-आरम्भ-उक्ति-विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक; दुष्ट + आरम्भ + उक्ति + विस्तार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचनम्

• अविद्यान्तर्गतैः: (which are) included within ignorance
• अविद्यान्तर्गतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविद्या-अन्तर्गत (प्रातिपदिक; अविद्या + अन्तर्गत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying the preceding instrumentals)

• यत्नः: effort
• यत्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• कर्तव्यः: should be done
• कर्तव्यः: Vidhi (Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्तः (gerundive/obligative), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate: 'to be done')

• तात: O dear one
• तात: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• शोभने: O splendid one
• शोभने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (addressing)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Abandon verbose arguments born of crooked intent and confined to ignorance; redirect effort toward what is truly auspicious (śobhana).

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Reduce compulsive debate and cultivate practices that purify intention—study, japa, and service aligned with dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Right knowledge is not mere dialectic; it must culminate in surrender to the Lord and purification of intention.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Avidyā (Ignorance)

FAQs

What is the significance of avoiding ignorance-based argumentation in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse dismisses verbose, ill-motivated discourse as rooted in avidyā and urges directing effort toward what is truly auspicious—supporting dharma and right knowledge.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the proper use of effort (yatna)?

Parāśara frames effort as something to be consciously redirected away from disputation born of ignorance and toward śobhana—wholesome, elevating aims aligned with dharma.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

By rejecting avidyā and emphasizing auspicious striving, the teaching implicitly supports the Purana’s aim: purification of understanding so the seeker can orient toward Vishnu as the supreme, ordering reality.