Shloka 45

Cosmic Appointments, Viṣṇu’s Vibhūtis, Fourfold Operation, and the Symbolism of Ornaments and Weapons

Devanagari script

युञ्जतः क्लेशमुक्त्यर्थं साध्यं यद् ब्रह्मयोगिनः तदालम्बनविज्ञानं द्वितीयो ऽंशो महामुने

Transliteration

yuñjataḥ kleśamuktyarthaṃ sādhyaṃ yad brahmayoginaḥ tadālambanavijñānaṃ dvitīyo 'ṃśo mahāmune

Translation

O great sage, for the Brahma-yogin who is striving for release from afflictions, that goal which is to be accomplished is attained through the knowledge of the proper support (ālambana) for meditation—this is the second division.

Word by Word

• युञ्जतः: of one who practices/engages
• युञ्जतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of (him) practicing/engaging’

• क्लेश-मुक्ति-अर्थम्: for the purpose of release from suffering
• क्लेश-मुक्ति-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; ‘अर्थम्’ इत्यनेन प्रयोजनार्थे अव्ययवत् (for the purpose of liberation from afflictions)

• साध्यम्: the goal to be attained
• साध्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• ब्रह्म-योगिनः: of the Brahma-yogin (one absorbed in Brahman)
• ब्रह्म-योगिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मणि योगी)

• तत्-आलम्बन-विज्ञानम्: knowledge based on that (support)
• तत्-आलम्बन-विज्ञानम्: Karta (Predicate noun/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आलम्बन (प्रातिपदिक) + विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (तस्य आलम्बनं यत् विज्ञानम्)

• द्वितीयः: second
• द्वितीयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अंशस्य)

• अंशः: part, portion
• अंशः: Karta (Predicate noun/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महान् मुनिः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Second division of knowledge: the ālambana (support) by which the Brahma-yogin attains the goal and is freed from kleśas

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: practical

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For the Brahma-yogin seeking freedom from kleśas, realization of the goal is mediated through knowledge of the proper meditative support (ālambana).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Choose a clear contemplative support—scriptural teaching, divine form/name, or a well-defined metaphysical focus—and sustain it consistently to reduce mental afflictions.

Vishishtadvaita: Ālambana readily aligns with personalist contemplation in Vaishnava praxis (support in the Lord’s attributes/form), integrating jñāna with upāsanā.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma-yogin
• Brahman (Supreme Reality)

FAQs

What is the significance of ālambana (meditative support) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames liberation from kleśas as dependent on understanding the correct meditative support—i.e., knowing what the yogin should hold in awareness so the mind can steadily realize the Supreme Reality.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the yogic means to freedom from affliction (kleśa-mukti)?

He presents it as a structured teaching with parts; here, the “second part” emphasizes ālambana-vijñāna—discernment of the meditation-object/support—as essential for the Brahma-yogin’s attainment.

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

Although Vishnu is not named directly in the verse, the Vishnu Purana’s moksha-teaching consistently treats the Supreme Brahman realized by the Brahma-yogin as Vishnu—the highest reality approached through disciplined meditation.