Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

तस्माच् छ्रेयांस्य् अशेषाणि नृपैतानि न संशयः परमार्थस् तु भूपाल संक्षेपाच् छ्रूयतां मम

Transliteration

tasmāc chreyāṃsy aśeṣāṇi nṛpaitāni na saṃśayaḥ paramārthas tu bhūpāla saṃkṣepāc chrūyatāṃ mama

Translation

Therefore, O king, without doubt these are all the various paths to welfare and auspiciousness. Yet, O protector of the earth, hear from me in brief the paramārtha—the highest truth that stands above them all.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (From that/therefore)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case, ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• श्रेयांसि: better things/benefits
• श्रेयांसि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तुलनात्मक-रूप (comparative)

• अशेषाणि: all, entire
• अशेषाणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (all/without remainder)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Visheshya (Demonstrative/निर्देशक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: no/not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परमार्थः: paramārtha (ultimate truth)
• परमार्थः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• भूपाल: O protector of the earth (king)
• भूपाल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• संक्षेपात्: briefly/in summary
• संक्षेपात्: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (ablative), एकवचन; प्रकार/रीत्या (in brief)

• श्रूयताम्: let (it) be heard
• श्रूयताम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive imperative): ‘let it be heard’

• मम: from me/of me
• मम: Sambandha (Speaker’s/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya, with a quoted address to a king/royal figure within the teaching)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Summarizing many śreyas-paths and introducing the concise statement of paramārtha

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Many paths yield welfare (śreyas), yet paramārtha stands above them and is to be heard as the decisive, highest purport.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Respect diverse disciplines (ritual, ethics, meditation) while prioritizing the final aim—God-realization and liberation—so practice does not become aimless accumulation.

Vishishtadvaita: Ranks sādhana within a theistic teleology: all welfare is ultimately ordered toward the Supreme Person as the highest end.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• King (Nṛpa/Bhūpāla)

FAQs

What is the significance of śreyas and paramārtha in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse distinguishes many beneficial disciplines (śreyāṁsi) from the single highest purport (paramārtha), signaling a move from practical good to ultimate truth.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the highest teaching in brief?

He explicitly promises a saṁkṣepa (summary) of the paramārtha, a common Purāṇic strategy: first list supportive duties, then present the supreme conclusion.

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

By introducing “paramārtha,” the text prepares the reader for Vishnu as the supreme reality and final ground of all welfare, aligning practical dharma with ultimate devotion and truth.