Shloka 43

सोमचक्रः, ग्रह-रथाः, ध्रुवबन्धनं, शिशुमारसंनिवेशः, विष्णु-सर्वात्मकता

Moon, Planets, Dhruva-Tethering, Śiśumāra, and Vishnu as All

Devanagari script

तस्मान् न विज्ञानम् ऋते ऽस्ति किंचित् क्वचित् कदाचिद् द्विज वस्तुजातम् विज्ञानम् एकं निजकर्मभेद विभिन्नचित्तैर् बहुधाभ्युपेतम्

Transliteration

tasmān na vijñānam ṛte 'sti kiṃcit kvacit kadācid dvija vastujātam vijñānam ekaṃ nijakarmabheda vibhinnacittair bahudhābhyupetam

Translation

Therefore, O twice-born one, at no place and at no time does any class of beings exist apart from true knowledge. Knowledge is one in itself; yet, through the differing divisions of one’s own actions (karma), it is taken up in many ways by minds that have become variously conditioned.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः; हेत्वर्थे (ablatival adverb: 'therefore/from that')

• न: not
• न: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• विज्ञानम्: knowledge; cognition
• विज्ञानम्: Karta/Predicate (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• ऋते: except; without
• ऋते: Adverbial/Exclusion (अपवाद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वर्जने (preposition-like: 'except/without')

• अस्ति: is; exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किंचित्: anything; something
• किंचित्: Karta/Karma (कर्ता/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् + चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• क्वचित्: anywhere; somewhere
• क्वचित्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक (adverb: 'somewhere/at any place')

• कदाचित्: ever; at any time
• कदाचित्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb: 'ever/at any time')

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• वस्तुजातम्: the class/aggregate of entities
• वस्तुजातम्: Karta/Predicate (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्तु + जात (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (वस्तूनां जातम् = collection/class of things)

• विज्ञानम्: knowledge
• विज्ञानम्: Karta/Predicate (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• एकम्: one; single
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• निजकर्मभेद: difference due to one's own actions
• निजकर्मभेद: Hetu/Upadhi (Cause/Condition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज + कर्म + भेद (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (निजस्य कर्मणः भेदः)

• विभिन्नचित्तैः: by people of differing minds
• विभिन्नचित्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभिन्न + चित्त (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (विभिन्नं चित्तं येषाम्)

• बहुधा: in many ways
• बहुधा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• अभ्युपेतम्: accepted; conceived
• अभ्युपेतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इ (धातु) + अभि-उप (उपसर्गौ) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (विज्ञानम्/वस्तुजातम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Whether anything exists apart from vijñāna/jñāna, and why one knowledge appears diversified through karma-conditioned minds.

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative, clarifying

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nothing exists independently of true knowledge; knowledge is one, but appears manifold because minds are diversified by karma and its impressions.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Observe how perception and belief shift with habit and karma-like conditioning; cultivate steadiness and sādhana to see through mental fragmentation.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms a single, ultimate consciousness while allowing plurality at the level of conditioned minds—compatible with a real, ordered plurality dependent on the One.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Dvija (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the significance of vijñāna in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse presents realized knowledge (vijñāna) as the indispensable ground of all beings, implying that existence and meaningful apprehension of reality are inseparable from true discernment.

How does Sage Parāśara explain why one knowledge appears as many?

He says knowledge is intrinsically one, but it is received in diverse ways because minds differ according to karma—past and present actions create varying mental conditions and viewpoints.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here, even though His name is not stated?

In the Vishnu Purana’s Vedantic outlook, the unity of truth behind diverse appearances aligns with Vishnu as the supreme, ordering reality—one essence known through purified understanding despite karmic conditioning.