Shloka 42

दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः

Devanagari script

परः परस्मात् पुरुषात् परमात्मस्वरूपधृक् योगिभिश् चिन्त्यते यो ऽसौ मुक्तिहेतोर् मुमुक्षुभिः

Transliteration

paraḥ parasmāt puruṣāt paramātmasvarūpadhṛk yogibhiś cintyate yo 'sau muktihetor mumukṣubhiḥ

Translation

He who is higher than the highest Person—bearing the very nature of the Supreme Self—is the One whom yogins contemplate; and seekers of liberation meditate upon Him as the cause and means of release.

Word by Word

• परः: supreme
• परः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परस्मात्: than/beyond the other
• परस्मात्: Apādāna (Source/Comparison point)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• पुरुषात्: than the person (puruṣa)
• पुरुषात्: Apādāna (Comparison point/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमात्मस्वरूपधृक्: bearing the form/nature of the Supreme Self
• परमात्मस्वरूपधृक्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + आत्मन् + स्वरूप + धृक्(धृ) (प्रातिपदिक; धृक् = धारयति इति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (‘परमात्मनः स्वरूपं धत्ते’ = bearing the nature of the Supreme Self)

• योगिभिः: by yogis
• योगिभिः: Karaṇa (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• चिन्त्यते: is contemplated
• चिन्त्यते: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• असौ: that (he)
• असौ: Karta (Apposition to ‘यः’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक (demonstrative)

• मुक्तिहेतोः: of the cause of liberation
• मुक्तिहेतोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘मुक्तेः हेतु’ = cause of liberation)

• मुमुक्षुभिः: by seekers of liberation
• मुमुक्षुभिः: Karaṇa (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुमुक्षु (प्रातिपदिक; √मुच् से सन्नन्त/इच्छार्थक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Yogins contemplate the Supreme Self beyond the highest person, and liberation-seekers take Him as both the cause and means of mokṣa.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Adopt a daily dhyāna practice centered on Bhagavān as Paramātman, aligning intention explicitly with mokṣa rather than worldly gains.

Vishishtadvaita: Mokṣa is achieved by the Supreme Person’s grace as the upāya (means) and upeya (goal), consistent with personal Paramātman theology.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Paramatman
• Mumukṣus (seekers of liberation)

FAQs

What is the significance of Paramatman contemplation in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents meditation on the Paramātman as the decisive spiritual practice for those who seek moksha, identifying the Supreme Self as the ultimate object of yogic contemplation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the path to liberation here?

Parāśara frames liberation as arising from focused contemplation of the Supreme Reality—He who embodies Paramātman—making that contemplation both the means and the cause of release.

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

The verse elevates the Supreme Principle beyond the ordinary notion of “person” (puruṣa), aligning with Vaishnava theology that Vishnu as Paramātman is the highest reality and the liberating refuge.