Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

अहिंसादिष्व् अशेषेषु गुणेषु गुणिनां वरः अवाप परमां काष्ठां मनसश् चापि संयमे

Transliteration

ahiṃsādiṣv aśeṣeṣu guṇeṣu guṇināṃ varaḥ avāpa paramāṃ kāṣṭhāṃ manasaś cāpi saṃyame

Translation

Foremost among the virtuous, established in every excellence beginning with non-violence, he attained the highest summit—perfect restraint and mastery of the mind as well.

Word by Word

• अहिंसादिषु: in (virtues) beginning with non-violence
• अहिंसादिषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिंसा (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुवचन, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण); समासः—अहिंसादि- (आदि-समास, ‘etc.’ sense; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः ‘अहिंसादिषु’ = ‘अहिंसा-आदिषु’)

• अशेषेषु: in all/without remainder
• अशेषेषु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; गुणेषु इति विशेषण

• गुणेषु: in virtues
• गुणेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• गुणिनाम्: of the virtuous (people)
• गुणिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• वरः: the best
• वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अवाप: attained
• अवाप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; काष्ठाम् इति विशेषण

• काष्ठाम्: the highest limit/culmination
• काष्ठाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• मनसः: of the mind
• मनसः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• संयमे: in restraint/control
• संयमे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: didactic, elevating

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ahiṃsā and allied virtues culminate in manasaḥ-saṃyama—mastery of the mind—which is portrayed as the ‘highest summit’ of ethical-spiritual attainment.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice non-harm in speech/action, simplify habits, and adopt daily meditation to train attention; treat self-restraint as the measure of real progress.

Vishishtadvaita: Ethical purification is not illusory but a real refinement of the jīva’s dispositions, making it fit for steadfast Bhagavad-bhakti and grace-bestowed liberation.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of ahimsa (non-violence) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse treats ahimsa as the first of the complete set of virtues, implying that non-violence is foundational to dharma and to higher spiritual attainment.

How does Sage Parāśara explain mastery of the mind (manas-samyama)?

He presents mental restraint as the “paramā kāṣṭhā”—the highest culmination of virtue—showing that ethical living matures into yogic inner governance.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purana frames dharma and self-mastery as the pathway that aligns the soul with the Supreme Reality upheld by Vishnu, the sustainer of cosmic order.