Shloka 42

Devanagari script

मैत्रेय कारणं प्रोक्तं साधनं सर्ववस्तुषु साध्यं च वस्त्व् अभिमतं यत् साधयितुम् आत्मनः

Transliteration

maitreya kāraṇaṃ proktaṃ sādhanaṃ sarvavastuṣu sādhyaṃ ca vastv abhimataṃ yat sādhayitum ātmanaḥ

Translation

O Maitreya, the ‘cause’ has been declared, and likewise the ‘means’ with regard to all things; and also the ‘attainable end’—that desired goal which one seeks to accomplish for oneself.

Word by Word

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: has been stated
• प्रोक्तम्: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रोक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वच् धातु, प्र-उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; (कारणम् इति विशेष्य)

• साधनम्: means, instrument
• साधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• सर्व-वस्तुषु: in all things
• सर्व-वस्तुषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषु वस्तुषु)

• साध्यम्: that which is to be accomplished (goal)
• साध्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √साध् धातु, यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भाव्य/कर्तव्यवाचक कृदन्त

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction)

• वस्तु: thing, entity
• वस्तु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• अभिमतम्: desired, intended
• अभिमतम्: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिमत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मन् धातु, अभि-उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; विशेषण (वस्तु)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• साधयितुम्: to accomplish
• साधयितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √साध् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive/तुमुन्): ‘साधयितुम्’

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Clarifying the triad of cause (kāraṇa), means (sādhana), and attainable end (sādhya) for all pursuits—especially the highest goal.

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All inquiry can be organized as: cause, means, and the attainable end—guiding the seeker toward the highest objective.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Define your aim (sādhya), adopt fitting disciplines (sādhana), and keep sight of the ultimate ground (kāraṇa) so practice remains coherent and non-fragmented.

Vishishtadvaita: Positions the Lord as ultimate kāraṇa while sādhana culminates in reaching Him as sādhya; supports Viśiṣṭādvaita’s integration of right knowledge and devotion as purposeful means.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of kāraṇa–sādhana–sādhya in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse sets a clear analytical framework: every pursuit has a cause, a means, and an intended attainable end—useful for both worldly order and spiritual realization.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the structure of accomplishing any goal?

He presents a universal template: identify the cause behind outcomes, the instruments by which results are produced, and the desired objective one intends to accomplish.

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

Although Vishnu is not named in this line, the chapter’s method supports Vaishnava metaphysics: ordered causality ultimately culminates in understanding the supreme ground of all causes, traditionally identified as Vishnu.