Shloka 11

परमार्थ-निर्णयः—श्रेयस्-भेदः, कर्म-ध्यान-सीमा, एकात्मदर्शनम्

Devanagari script

तन् मह्यं प्रणताय त्वं यच् छ्रेयः परमं द्विज तद् वदाखिलविज्ञानजलवीच्युदधिर् भवान्

Transliteration

tan mahyaṃ praṇatāya tvaṃ yac chreyaḥ paramaṃ dvija tad vadākhilavijñānajalavīcyudadhir bhavān

Translation

To me—bowed down in reverence—declare, O twice-born one, that supreme good which is truly highest; for you are an ocean whose waves are the waters of all knowledge.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मह्यम्: to me
• मह्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रणताय: to (me) who am bowed down
• प्रणताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √नम् (धातु) + क्त (क्त-प्रत्यय) → प्रणत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेष्य-भाव (to one who is bowed/submissive)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• श्रेयः: the good/the best (welfare)
• श्रेयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying श्रेयः)

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

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वद: tell/say
• वद: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अखिलविज्ञानजलवीच्युदधिः: (you,) an ocean of waves of the water of all knowledge
• अखिलविज्ञानजलवीच्युदधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अखिल + विज्ञान + जल + वीचि + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—बहु-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला (अखिलस्य विज्ञानस्य जलस्य वीचयः यस्मिन्/यस्य = ocean of waves of the water of all knowledge)

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The seeker approaches the qualified teacher with reverence and requests instruction in the supreme good (parama-śreyas).

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Adopt a disciplined student posture—humility, clear questioning, and receptivity—when studying śāstra under a competent guide.

Vishishtadvaita: Knowledge is transmitted through grace-filled guru–śiṣya relation; the ‘highest good’ is knowable and teachable, culminating in devotion to Bhagavān.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Parāśara

FAQs

What is the significance of “parama-śreyas” (the supreme good) in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals the text’s central aim: to point beyond ordinary prosperity toward the highest welfare—liberation and God-realization—framed through Vishnu as the supreme reality.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the highest goal when asked by Maitreya?

This verse sets the dialogue: Maitreya, in humility, requests the teaching; Parāśara’s ensuing instruction unfolds as authoritative knowledge—cosmic, ethical, and theological—culminating in the highest end.

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

Although Vishnu is not named in this line, the request for the ‘supreme good’ anticipates Parāśara’s Vishnu-centered exposition, where ultimate welfare is grounded in the Lord’s supremacy and the soul’s right relation to Him.