Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

एवं विनाशिभिर् द्रव्यैः समिदाज्यकुशादिभिः निष्पाद्यते क्रिया या तु सा भवित्री विनाशिनी

Transliteration

evaṃ vināśibhir dravyaiḥ samidājyakuśādibhiḥ niṣpādyate kriyā yā tu sā bhavitrī vināśinī

Translation

Thus, any rite carried out by means of perishable substances—firewood, ghee, kuśa grass, and the like—must itself be destined to perish; for a sacrificial act fashioned from what decays cannot be imperishable.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (thus/in this manner)

• विनाशिभिः: perishable
• विनाशिभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनाशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• द्रव्यैः: by materials/substances
• द्रव्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• समित्-आज्य-कुश-आदिभिः: by fuel-sticks, ghee, kuśa-grass, etc.
• समित्-आज्य-कुश-आदिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समित् (प्रातिपदिक) + आज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—समिदाज्यकुशाः (द्वन्द्व) + आदि (तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीहिवत् ‘etc.’)

• निष्पाद्यते: is performed/produced
• निष्पाद्यते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निष्+पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘is produced/performed’

• क्रिया: ritual act
• क्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• या: which
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक सर्वनाम

• तु: but
• तु: Connector (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (but/indeed)

• सा: that (act)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवित्री: will be
• भवित्री: Predicate Complement (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु) → भवितृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भविष्यत्कर्तरि कृदन्त (तृन्/तृच्-प्रत्ययार्थः) — ‘going to be’

• विनाशिनी: perishable
• विनाशिनी: Predicate Complement (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनाशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: If a rite is composed of perishable materials, can it yield an imperishable result?

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A sacrificial act constructed from perishable items (samid, ghee, kuśa, etc.) is itself perishable and cannot be inherently imperishable.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Value rituals as purifying supports, but do not expect them alone to grant the final, deathless end; pair practice with inner transformation and devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Distinguishes finite karmic fruits from the imperishable Supreme end, implying that mokṣa depends on relation to the imperishable Lord rather than perishable ritual substrates.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of impermanence of ritual in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that rites performed with perishable materials are themselves perishable, implying that their fruits are finite and cannot grant an imperishable end.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the limitation of karma (ritual action)?

Parāśara reasons causally: when the means (ritual substances) are transient, the produced act and its results are also transient—therefore karma alone cannot yield the eternal.

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

By highlighting the finitude of ritual results, the teaching implicitly points beyond transient merit toward the imperishable Supreme Reality—Vishnu—as the ultimate refuge and goal.