Shloka 46

प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

तस्माद् यतेत पुण्येषु य इच्छेन् महतीं श्रियम् यतितव्यं समत्वे च निर्वाणम् अपि चेच्छता

Transliteration

tasmād yateta puṇyeṣu ya icchen mahatīṃ śriyam yatitavyaṃ samatve ca nirvāṇam api cecchatā

Translation

Therefore, one who seeks great prosperity should strive in meritorious deeds; and one who longs even for liberation must likewise strive for equanimity—steadfast balance of mind in all conditions.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यतेत: should strive
• यतेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यत् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पुण्येषु: in meritorious acts
• पुण्येषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• इच्छेत्: should desire
• इच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महतīm: great
• महतīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (श्रियम्-विशेषण)

• श्रियम्: prosperity
• श्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• यतितव्यम्: one should strive
• यतितव्यम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यत् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘यत्नः कर्तव्यः’

• समत्वे: in equanimity
• समत्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• निर्वाणम्: liberation
• निर्वाणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इच्छता: by one who desires
• इच्छता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘इच्छन्’ → ‘इच्छता’ (by one desiring)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: What should one do, given the unreliability of worldly outcomes—means to prosperity and to liberation

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For worldly prosperity pursue puṇya, but for liberation cultivate samatva—steady equanimity—since nirvāṇa requires inner balance beyond external gain.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Maintain daily ethical disciplines (puṇya) while practicing equanimity through meditation, measured response to praise/blame, and surrender of outcomes.

Vishishtadvaita: Equanimity functions as a preparatory virtue (sādhana) that supports bhakti and prapatti: the self remains dependent on the Lord while becoming inwardly steady amid changing states.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Liberation (Nirvāṇa)
• Śrī (Prosperity)

FAQs

What is the significance of equanimity (samatva) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse makes equanimity the required discipline for liberation, presenting inner balance as the practical means to transcend bondage.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the pursuit of prosperity versus liberation here?

He distinguishes the means: prosperity is pursued through merit (puṇya), while liberation is pursued through cultivated equanimity (samatva).

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

Though not named in the verse, the teaching aligns with Vaishnava dharma: ordered living and inner steadiness purify the seeker toward the Supreme Reality upheld by Vishnu.