Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

कपिलर्षिर् भगवतः सर्वभूतस्य वै किल विष्णोर् अंशो जगन्मोहनाशायोर्वीम् उपागतः

Transliteration

kapilarṣir bhagavataḥ sarvabhūtasya vai kila viṣṇor aṃśo jaganmohanāśāyorvīm upāgataḥ

Translation

Indeed, the sage Kapila is an emanated portion of Lord Viṣṇu, the Blessed One who is the very Self of all beings; he descended upon the earth to destroy the delusion that bewilders the world.

Word by Word

• कपिलर्षिः: sage Kapila
• कपिलर्षिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल-ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (कपिलः ऋषिः)

• भगवतः: of the Blessed Lord
• भगवतः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सर्वभूतस्य: of all beings
• सर्वभूतस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (सर्वेषां भूतानां)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/प्रसिद्ध्यर्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• किल: it is said; indeed
• किल: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रसिद्धि/श्रुत्यर्थक-अव्यय (hearsay/indeed)

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अंशः: a portion; an emanation
• अंशः: Pratijna/Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जगन्मोहनाशाय: for the delusion/enchantment of the world
• जगन्मोहनाशाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्-मोहन-आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (जगतः मोहनस्य आशयः/प्रयोजनम्)

• उर्वीम्: the earth
• उर्वीम्: Karma (Object/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उपागतः: has come; arrived
• उपागतः: Kriya (Predicate/State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√गम् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) प्रयुक्तः विधेयवत्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identity and purpose of Kapila as a divine manifestation teaching paramārtha

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Purpose: Kapila, as an aṃśa of Viṣṇu, descends to remove the world’s delusion by imparting liberating knowledge.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Right knowledge and discrimination supporting the path to liberation

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kapila’s advent is framed as Viṣṇu’s compassionate intervention to destroy avidyā, affirming the Lord as the inner Self of all beings.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Treat authentic wisdom-teachings as divine aid against confusion; cultivate viveka and surrender the ego’s claims to knowledge.

Vishishtadvaita: Viṣṇu is ‘sarvabhūta-ātman’ (immanent indweller) yet freely manifests as teacher; grace operates through embodied instruction without collapsing the distinction between Lord and jīva.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Kapila
• Vishnu
• Earth (Urvi)
• All beings (Sarvabhuta)

FAQs

What is the significance of Kapila being called an aṁśa of Vishnu in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames Kapila’s teaching-mission as divinely authorized: his appearance is not merely historical but a purposeful emanation of Vishnu to guide beings toward liberation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the purpose of Kapila’s descent?

Parāśara states that Kapila comes to earth specifically to destroy jagat-moha—worldly delusion—so that discernment and dharma can be restored.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is presented as the supreme, all-pervading reality (Self of all beings) whose sovereign will manifests teachers and avatāras to uphold cosmic order and remove ignorance.