Shloka 28

Devanagari script

निःसत्त्वाः सकला लोका लोभाद्युपहतेन्द्रियाः स्वल्पे ऽपि हि बभूवुस् ते साभिलाषा द्विजोत्तम

Transliteration

niḥsattvāḥ sakalā lokā lobhādyupahatendriyāḥ svalpe 'pi hi babhūvus te sābhilāṣā dvijottama

Translation

All worlds became drained of sattva; their senses were wounded by greed and other passions. Thus, O best of the twice-born, even for the smallest gain they rose up filled with craving.

Word by Word

• निःसत्त्वाः: devoid of sattva
• निःसत्त्वाः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/निपात) + सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (without goodness/essence)

• सकलाः: all
• सकलाः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• लोकाः: worlds/people
• लोकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• लोभादि: by greed and the like
• लोभादि: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (लोभादयः); पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (समासान्त-प्रातिपदिकस्य तृतीया)

• उपहत: afflicted
• उपहत: Karta (कर्ता/विषय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) उपसर्ग-उप + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (afflicted)

• इन्द्रियाः: senses
• इन्द्रियाः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• स्वल्पे: in something small
• स्वल्पे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (in a small matter)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (even)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतु (indeed/for)

• बभूवुः: became
• बभूवुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + लिट्
• Form: लिट् (perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• साभिलाषाः: full of desire
• साभिलाषाः: Karta (कर्ता/विषय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्गार्थक-प्रातिपदिक) + अभिलाष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (अभिलाषेण सहिताः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (द्विजः उत्तमः); पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When senses are struck by lobha and allied passions, sattva collapses and even small objects become triggers for craving.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Practice sense-guarding (indriya-nigraha), limit acquisition, and cultivate contentment to restore inner steadiness.

Vishishtadvaita: The guṇas condition the jīva’s dispositions; turning the mind toward the Lord and dharma elevates sattva and heals the sense-life.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Dvija (Brahmin)

FAQs

What is the significance of greed and sense-impairment in the Vishnu Purana’s yuga descriptions?

This verse treats greed and allied passions as forces that damage the senses and erase sattva, marking the moral and psychological decline characteristic of later yugas (especially Kali).

How does Sage Parāśara explain the inner cause of social disorder here?

Parāśara traces disorder to a loss of sattva and to senses overwhelmed by passions, so that even trivial objects become triggers for intense craving and conflict.

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

By highlighting yuga-based degeneration, the narrative implicitly points to Vishnu as the sustaining Supreme Reality who restores dharma when beings fall under greed and desire.