Shloka 45

Devanagari script

सद्भाव एषो भवतो मयोक्तो ज्ञानं यथा सत्यम् असत्यम् अन्यत् एतत् तु यत् संव्यवहारभूतं तत्रापि चोक्तं भुवनाश्रितं ते

Transliteration

sadbhāva eṣo bhavato mayokto jñānaṃ yathā satyam asatyam anyat etat tu yat saṃvyavahārabhūtaṃ tatrāpi coktaṃ bhuvanāśritaṃ te

Translation

Thus have I explained to you the principle of true being: that knowledge alone is real, and whatever is other than that is unreal. Yet this world-transaction—this sphere of ordinary experience—also has been spoken of (by the wise) as having its basis in the ordered universe; and so, even there, a dependent reality is acknowledged for you to understand.

Word by Word

• सद्भावः: true being; reality
• सद्भावः: Karta/Topic (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + भाव (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सतः भावः)

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भवतः: of you (hon.)
• भवतः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; आदरार्थ

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग/सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन

• उक्तः: said; spoken
• उक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (सद्भावः/एषः)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta/Predicate (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यथा: as; just as
• यथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/just as)

• सत्यम्: truth; real
• सत्यम्: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• असत्यम्: untruth; unreal
• असत्यम्: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अन्यत्: other (than that)
• अन्यत्: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta/Topic (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: but; however
• तु: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Anvaya-link (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)

• संव्यवहारभूतम्: constituting practical transaction; empirical
• संव्यवहारभूतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं + व्यवहार + भूत (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (संव्यवहाररूपं भूतम्)

• तत्रापि: there too; even there
• तत्रापि: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र + अपि (अव्यये)
• Form: अव्ययसमूह; देशवाचक + समुच्चय (there + also)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• उक्तम्: is said; has been stated
• उक्तम्: Kriya-like predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि

• भुवनाश्रितम्: resting in the world; world-dependent
• भुवनाश्रितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुवन + आश्रित (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भुवने आश्रितम्)

• ते: of you
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (enclitic)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How ‘knowledge alone is real’ relates to ordinary worldly transaction (saṃvyavahāra) and the ordered universe as its basis.

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: nuanced, reconciling

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pure knowledge is ultimately real, yet the domain of worldly dealings has a dependent, ordered reality grounded in the cosmos and its governing principle.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Hold a ‘two-level’ perspective: act responsibly within the world while remembering its dependence on the Supreme and its non-ultimate status.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms dependent reality (paratantra-sattā) of the world—aligning with Vishishtadvaita’s satya-jagat doctrine where the universe is real as the Lord’s mode, not an absolute illusion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Parasara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of distinguishing satya (real) and asatya (unreal) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames true reality as rooted in authentic knowledge, while treating what is “other than that” as ultimately unreal—guiding readers to discriminate ultimate truth from appearances.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the status of worldly experience (saṃvyavahāra)?

He concedes that everyday transactions function in practice, but describes them as dependent—grounded in the cosmic order (bhuvana)—rather than being absolute reality.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when the verse speaks in philosophical terms, the Vishnu Purana’s broader framework treats ultimate reality and cosmic order as sustained by the Supreme—Vishnu—so empirical life is meaningful yet subordinate to the highest truth.