Shloka 29

भरतचरितम्—मृगासक्ति-हेतुकः समाधिभङ्गः, जातिस्मरत्वं, रहूगण-जाḍभरत-संवादः

Devanagari script

समाधिभङ्गस् तस्यासीत् तन्मयत्वादृतात्मनः संत्यक्तराज्यभोगर्द्धिस्वजनस्यापि भूपतेः

Transliteration

samādhibhaṅgas tasyāsīt tanmayatvādṛtātmanaḥ saṃtyaktarājyabhogarddhisvajanasyāpi bhūpateḥ

Translation

Yet, even for that king who had abandoned kingdom and kin, there arose a breaking of samādhi, for his consciousness became wholly absorbed in that deer.

Word by Word

• समाधिभङ्गः: the breaking of meditation
• समाधिभङ्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समाधि-भङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक); समाधि (trance) + भङ्ग (break)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्द

• आसीत्: was/occurred
• आसीत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तन्मयत्वात्: because of absorption in that (deer)
• तन्मयत्वात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्-मय-त्व (प्रातिपदिक); तद् (that) + मय (consisting of/absorbed in) + त्व (abstract noun suffix)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (cause)

• ऋतात्मनः: of the righteous-souled (one)
• ऋतात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋत-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक); ऋत (true/right) + आत्मन् (self)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying भूपतेः)

• संत्यक्तराज्यभोगर्द्धिस्वजनस्य: of (him) who had renounced kingdom, pleasures, prosperity, and kinsmen
• संत्यक्तराज्यभोगर्द्धिस्वजनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं-त्यक्त-राज्य-भोग-ऋद्धि-स्वजन (प्रातिपदिक); संत्यक्त (renounced) + राज्य (kingdom) + भोग (enjoyments) + ऋद्धि (prosperity) + स्वजन (kinsmen)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-समास, विशेषण (qualifying भूपतेः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अपि-अर्थ (even/also)

• भूपतेः: of the king
• भूपतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Warning that even advanced renunciation can fall from samādhi through object-fixation (tanmayatva)

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Samādhi can break when consciousness becomes absorbed in a finite object, even for one who has renounced kingdom, pleasure, and kin.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Cultivate apramāda: keep primary devotion/meditative object explicit (japa, remembrance), and set boundaries so compassion does not become clinging.

Vishishtadvaita: Liberation requires unbroken orientation to the Lord; finite attachments, though not ‘evil,’ obstruct the soul’s full dependence (śeṣatva) on Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• King (Bhūpati)
• Samādhi
• Renunciation (Tyāga)

FAQs

What is the significance of samādhi-bhaṅga (break in samādhi) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights that even a renounced, disciplined king can experience a disruption of meditative absorption when the mind becomes intensely identified with a particular object—showing the subtlety of inner practice beyond external renunciation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the limits of renunciation through this king’s example?

Parāśara underscores that giving up kingdom, pleasure, wealth, and family is not the final safeguard; the mind’s tendency to fuse with a single fixation can still interrupt yogic steadiness, so discernment and higher anchoring are required.

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

Implicitly, the Purāṇic teaching points toward stabilizing consciousness in the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—as the ultimate refuge, rather than allowing absorption to rest on a limited object that can precipitate disturbance.