Shloka 31

ऋभु–निदाघ-संवादः—अद्वैत-उपदेशः, समता, वासुदेव-स्वरूप-एकत्वम्

Devanagari script

तद् एतद् भवता ज्ञात्वा मृष्टामृष्टविचारि यत् तन् मनः समतालम्बि कार्यं साम्यं हि मुक्तये

Transliteration

tad etad bhavatā jñātvā mṛṣṭāmṛṣṭavicāri yat tan manaḥ samatālambi kāryaṃ sāmyaṃ hi muktaye

Translation

Knowing this—after discerning what is pleasing and what is unpleasing—let your mind take refuge in evenness. For steadfast inner equality is the means to liberation.

Word by Word

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

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; demonstrative (this)

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; honorific pronoun (by you)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञात्वा (क्त्वान्त-अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): having known

• मृष्ट-अमृष्ट-विचारि: O examiner of clean and unclean
• मृष्ट-अमृष्ट-विचारि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृष्ट + अमृष्ट + विचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपदसमास (clean/unclean) + विचारिन् (one who considers)

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

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

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• समता-आलम्बि: resting on equanimity
• समता-आलम्बि: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समता + आलम्बिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (समतायाः आलम्बि = resting on equanimity)

• कार्यम्: should be made/done
• कार्यम्: Vidhyartha (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; predicate: to be made/done (gerundive sense)

• साम्यम्: equanimity
• साम्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• हि: for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये निपात (for/indeed)

• मुक्तये: for liberation
• मुक्तये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; dative (for liberation)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: What practice leads to moksha amid fluctuating likes/dislikes?

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative, liberation-oriented instruction

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After discerning pleasure and displeasure, one should anchor the mind in equanimity, for steadfast inner sameness is a direct means toward liberation.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Practice daily ‘samatva’—pause at praise/blame or comfort/discomfort, return attention to the Lord, and act from duty rather than impulse.

Vishishtadvaita: Samatva functions as a bhakti-support (anukula) disposition: the self, dependent on Vishnu, relinquishes reactive ownership and rests in the Lord’s governance.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of equanimity (samatā) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents samatā—remaining balanced amid the pleasing and unpleasing—as a practical spiritual discipline and a primary aid to liberation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain dealing with pleasure and pain?

He frames them as objects of discernment (mṛṣṭa-amṛṣṭa-vicāra) and instructs Maitreya to anchor the mind in evenness rather than being driven by reactions.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Though Vishnu is not named in this line, the teaching aligns with Vaishnava moksha: liberation is supported by inner steadiness that prepares the seeker for realization of the Supreme Reality (Vishnu) beyond worldly dualities.