Shloka 70

Devanagari script

विद्याविद्ये भवान् सत्यम् असत्यं त्वं विषामृते प्रवृत्तं च निवृत्तं च कर्म वेदोदितं भवान्

Transliteration

vidyāvidye bhavān satyam asatyaṃ tvaṃ viṣāmṛte pravṛttaṃ ca nivṛttaṃ ca karma vedoditaṃ bhavān

Translation

You are both knowledge and ignorance; you are truth and untruth. You are poison and nectar alike. You are the Veda-proclaimed action that turns outward into worldly engagement, and the action that turns inward into renunciation as well.

Word by Word

• vidyā-avidye: O knowledge and ignorance
• vidyā-avidye: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + avidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-द्विवचन (Vocative/Dual); द्वन्द्व-समास; (हे) विद्ये अविद्ये इति संबोधन

• bhavān: you (honored)
• bhavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific ‘you’)

• satyam: truth
• satyam: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• asatyam: untruth
• asatyam: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asatya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• viṣa-amṛte: O poison and nectar
• viṣa-amṛte: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + amṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-द्विवचन (Vocative/Dual); द्वन्द्व-समास; (हे) विषे अमृते इति संबोधन

• pravṛttam: engagement/activity (pravṛtti)
• pravṛttam: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pra-√vṛt (वृत् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle: ‘set in motion/engaged’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• nivṛttam: withdrawal/cessation (nivṛtti)
• nivṛttam: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ni-√vṛt (वृत् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP: ‘withdrawn/cessation’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• karma: action/karma
• karma: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• veda-uditam: enjoined by the Veda
• veda-uditam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + udita (उदित, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from √ud)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: ‘enjoined/declared by the Veda’)

• bhavān: you (are)
• bhavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; hymn-like identification of Vishnu as the ground of all opposites)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How opposites (knowledge/ignorance, truth/untruth, poison/nectar) and both pravṛtti and nivṛtti karmas depend on Viṣṇu

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even apparent contraries—vidyā/avidyā, satya/asatya, viṣa/amṛta—and both Veda-taught paths of engagement and renunciation are grounded in the Lord as their ultimate regulator and meaning.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Hold success/failure and pleasure/pain with devotion, seeing all circumstances as governed by the Lord and using them to turn toward Him.

Vishishtadvaita: Opposites are not equalized as illusion; rather, their ordered reality and moral valence operate under the Lord’s governance, who remains untouched while immanently directing.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Vedas
• Pravritti
• Nivritti

FAQs

What is the significance of pravṛtti and nivṛtti in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames both worldly duty (pravṛtti) and renunciation (nivṛtti) as Veda-taught paths ultimately grounded in Vishnu, showing that all legitimate dharma derives its authority from the Supreme.

How does Sage Parāśara explain knowledge and ignorance in this context?

By saying Vishnu is both vidyā and avidyā, Parāśara presents the Lord as the underlying reality in which even contrasting states are situated—without making Vishnu morally limited, but emphasizing divine sovereignty over the cosmos and its conditions.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu being called both poison and nectar here?

It highlights Vishnu’s all-encompassing lordship over outcomes experienced as harmful or beneficial, reinforcing the Purana’s view of Vishnu as the supreme ground of cosmic order beyond dualities.