Shloka 87

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

Devanagari script

कार्त्तिक्यां पुष्करस्नाने द्वादशाब्दे तु यत् फलम् तद् अस्य श्रवणे सर्वं मैत्रेयाप्नोति मानवः

Transliteration

kārttikyāṃ puṣkarasnāne dvādaśābde tu yat phalam tad asya śravaṇe sarvaṃ maitreyāpnoti mānavaḥ

Translation

O Maitreya, whatever merit is gained by bathing at Puṣkara in the month of Kārttika for twelve years—every bit of that fruit is obtained by a person simply by listening to this sacred account.

Word by Word

• कार्त्तिक्याम्: in (the month of) Kārttika
• कार्त्तिक्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्तिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (in Kārttikī month/at Kārttikā)

• पुष्करस्नाने: in the Puṣkara bath/pilgrimage-bath
• पुष्करस्नाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—पुष्करे स्नानम् (bathing at Puṣkara)

• द्वादशाब्दे: in (a period of) twelve years
• द्वादशाब्दे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (twelve-year period)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Visheshana (Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (relative: whatever/that which)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (correlative: that)

• अस्य: of this (Purāṇa)
• अस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (of this)

• श्रवणे: in the hearing (of it)
• श्रवणे: Adhikarana (Means/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (in/through hearing)

• सर्वम्: entire/all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of तत् फलम्: entire)

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मानवः: a human being
• मानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Śravaṇa-phala compared to tīrtha-vrata merit (Puṣkara-snāna in Kārttika)

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Devout listening to the Viṣṇu Purāṇa is declared to bestow merit equal to prolonged Kārttika observances at Puṣkara, emphasizing śravaṇa as a supreme sādhana.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: If pilgrimage is impossible, commit to disciplined śravaṇa during Kārttika (or regularly), paired with ethical living and remembrance of Nārāyaṇa.

Vishishtadvaita: Accessible grace: the Lord’s favor operates through śravaṇa within ordinary life, not only through arduous external rites—yet without rejecting the value of tīrtha.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Puṣkara
• Kārttika (month)

FAQs

What is the significance of hearing (śravaṇa) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse elevates śravaṇa as a direct, accessible dharma: simply listening to the Purāṇic teaching can yield the same merit as long-term, rigorous pilgrimage observances.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the comparison between pilgrimage and listening?

By stating an equivalence of results: the fruit of twelve years of Kārttika bathing at Puṣkara is fully attained through hearing this account, highlighting the Purāṇa’s spiritual efficacy in the teacher–disciple dialogue.

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

The verse implies that the sacred narrative’s power rests on the Supreme Reality (Vishnu) who upholds dharma—so devotion expressed through attentive hearing becomes a means to divine grace and merit.