Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

आत्मा ध्येयः सदा भूप योगयुक्तैस् तथा परम् श्रेयस् तस्यैव संयोगः श्रेयो यः परमात्मनः

Transliteration

ātmā dhyeyaḥ sadā bhūpa yogayuktais tathā param śreyas tasyaiva saṃyogaḥ śreyo yaḥ paramātmanaḥ

Translation

O King, those established in Yoga should ever contemplate the Self; and the highest good is this alone—the blessed union of the individual self with the Supreme Self, the Paramātman.

Word by Word

• आत्मा: the Self
• आत्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ध्येयः: to be meditated upon
• ध्येयः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्येय (कृदन्त; √ध्यै धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective); भाव्य/कर्तव्य-अर्थ (to be meditated upon)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• भूप: O king
• भूप: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• योगयुक्तैः: by those united with yoga
• योगयुक्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग-युक्त (कृदन्त/विशेषण; √युज् धातु)
• Form: समास: योगेन युक्तः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); साधन/सहचर्य-निर्देश (by/with those who are disciplined in yoga)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/अन्वय-अव्यय (adverb: likewise/so)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र विशेषणरूपेण (as adjective)

• श्रेयः: the highest good
• श्रेयः: Karma/Predicate nominal (Object or complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; फलवाचक (the good/highest good)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• संयोगः: union/connection
• संयोगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रेयः: the good
• श्रेयः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

• यः: which/who
• यः: Karta (Subject of relative clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• परमात्मनः: of the Supreme Self
• परमात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: परमः आत्मा (कर्मधारय); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse, traditionally to Maitreya; here addressing a kingly listener as 'bhūpa')

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: parama-śreyas/paramārtha—what is the true highest good beyond worldly aims

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The constant yogic contemplation of the Self culminates in the supreme welfare: saṃyoga (communion) of the individual self with the Paramātman.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Maintain daily meditation and self-inquiry oriented to the Lord as the inner goal rather than to transient gains.

Vishishtadvaita: Moksha is realized as intimate communion with the personal Paramātman (not mere impersonal absorption), aligning the jīva’s dependence with the Supreme.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Paramatman
• Kings

FAQs

What is the significance of śreyas (the highest good) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse defines śreyas as the ultimate welfare attained through constant contemplation of the Self, culminating in communion with the Paramātman, i.e., liberation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of Yoga in attaining liberation here?

He presents yoga as disciplined, continual meditation (dhyāna) on the Self, by which one reaches the supreme good—union with the Supreme Self.

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

Though not named explicitly, the Paramātman in the Vishnu Purana is ultimately Vishnu as the supreme reality; liberation is framed as reaching communion with that Supreme Lord.