Shloka 18

वाराहावतारः (भूम्युद्धारः) — Varāha, the Raising of the Earth and the Recommencement of Creation

Devanagari script

त्वाम् आराध्य परं ब्रह्म याता मुक्तिं मुमुक्षवः वासुदेवम् अनाराध्य को मोक्षं समवाप्स्यति

Transliteration

tvām ārādhya paraṃ brahma yātā muktiṃ mumukṣavaḥ vāsudevam anārādhya ko mokṣaṃ samavāpsyati

Translation

O Supreme Brahman, by worshipping You the seekers of liberation have attained release; but without worshipping Vāsudeva, who could ever obtain mokṣa?

Word by Word

• त्वाम्: you (object)
• त्वाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आराध्य: having worshipped
• आराध्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-राध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having worshipped’

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman (the Absolute)
• ब्रह्म: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• याताः: have gone/attained
• याताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक कृदन्त (Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• मुमुक्षवः: seekers of liberation
• मुमुक्षवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुमुक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वासुदेवम्: Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनाराध्य: without worshipping
• अनाराध्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन्-आ-राध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (Gerund/Absolutive) with negation; ‘without worshipping’

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom), एकवचन (Singular)

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• समवाप्स्यति: will attain
• समवाप्स्यति: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nature of the Supreme and the exclusive means to mokṣa through Vāsudeva-worship

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mokṣa is attained by worship of Vāsudeva recognized as Para-Brahman; without that worship liberation is not truly reachable.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Center daily practice (japa, pūjā, remembrance) on Vāsudeva/Nārāyaṇa as the final refuge rather than treating devotion as optional.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms the personal Brahman (Vāsudeva) as the decisive upāya, aligning liberation with loving surrender to the Supreme Person.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Vyuha Form: Vasudeva

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva
• Vishnu
• Mumukshus (seekers of liberation)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vāsudeva being called Para Brahman in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse identifies Vāsudeva (Vishnu) with the Supreme Brahman, making Him the highest reality and the ultimate object of worship, not merely a deity among others.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the path to moksha here?

Parāśara frames liberation as the fruit of ārādhana (devotional worship) of the Supreme; the verse implies that sincere seekers (mumukshus) reach moksha by centering their worship on Vāsudeva.

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

Vishnu is presented as the exclusive and sufficient giver of moksha: without worship of Vāsudeva, liberation is portrayed as unattainable, reflecting core Vaishnava soteriology.