Shloka 53

दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः

Devanagari script

यन् न देवा न मुनयो न चाहं न च शंकरः जानन्ति परमेशस्य तद् विष्णोः परमं पदम्

Transliteration

yan na devā na munayo na cāhaṃ na ca śaṃkaraḥ jānanti parameśasya tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam

Translation

That supreme station of Viṣṇu, belonging to the Highest Lord, is beyond the knowing of the gods, beyond the sages, beyond even me, and beyond Śaṅkara as well.

Word by Word

• यत्: which/that (relative)
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• न: nor
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• न: nor
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुषार्थक सर्वनाम

• न: nor
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमेशस्य: of the Supreme Lord
• परमेशस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (परमः ईशः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Correlative reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; निर्देशसूचक सर्वनाम

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पदम्: abode/state
• पदम्: Karma/Pratipādya (Object/that spoken of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The unknowability (atarkya/anirvacanīya) of Viṣṇu’s supreme station even to gods and great beings

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu’s supreme station surpasses the knowing capacity of gods, sages, and even exalted deities, indicating its absolute transcendence.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Replace spiritual pride with humility; approach the Supreme through disciplined practice and surrender rather than mere intellectual mastery.

Vishishtadvaita: Stresses the Supreme Lord’s unsurpassable greatness (paratva), foundational for devotion: the finite knower depends on divine grace for true realization.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Devas
• Munis (Sages)
• Shankara (Shiva)
• Paramesha (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What is the significance of “paramaṁ padam” (the supreme station) in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse it denotes Viṣṇu’s highest, transcendent reality—so supreme that even gods and great sages cannot fully comprehend it.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the limits of knowledge regarding the Supreme Lord?

Parāśara emphasizes that neither celestial beings nor accomplished seers—nor even exalted deities like Śaṅkara—can completely know the Supreme Lord’s ultimate state, highlighting transcendence over all ranks of beings.

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

Viṣṇu is presented as the Parameśa whose supreme abode/state surpasses all created intellects, grounding a Vaishnava view of ultimate sovereignty and inspiring humility and devotion.