Shloka 45

नरक-निर्णयः, पाप-कर्म-फल-व्यवस्था, प्रायश्चित्त-क्रमः, तथा हरि-स्मरण-परमत्वम्

Devanagari script

तस्माद् अहर्निशं विष्णुं संस्मरन् पुरुषो मुने न याति नरकं शुद्धः संक्षीणाखिलपातकः

Transliteration

tasmād aharniśaṃ viṣṇuṃ saṃsmaran puruṣo mune na yāti narakaṃ śuddhaḥ saṃkṣīṇākhilapātakaḥ

Translation

Therefore, O sage, one who remembers Vishnu unceasingly—day and night—does not go to hell. Purified, with every sin entirely worn away, he remains free from downfall.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that (reason)
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/Reason/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी/अपादान (5th case), एकवचन

• अहर्निशम्: day and night
• अहर्निशम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक) + निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभाव-समासः (अहः च निशा च → 'day and night' as adverb)

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/कर्म (2nd case), एकवचन

• संस्मरन्: remembering
• संस्मरन्: Kriya (Participial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; क्रियाविशेषण-भावे (concomitant action: 'remembering')

• पुरुषः: a man/person
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नरकम्: to hell
• नरकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/कर्म (2nd case), एकवचन

• शुद्धः: pure
• शुद्धः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying 'पुरुषः')

• संक्षीण-अखिल-पातकः: whose all sins are destroyed
• संक्षीण-अखिल-पातकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संक्षीण (कृदन्त; √क्षि धातु, भूतकृदन्त) + अखिल (प्रातिपदिक) + पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (अखिलानि पातकानि; तेषां संक्षीणः) — विशेषणम् (qualifying 'पुरुषः')

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Fruit of aharniśa-smaraṇa: destruction of sin and avoidance of naraka

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Unceasing remembrance of Viṣṇu purifies the heart, exhausts all sins, and prevents descent into naraka.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Anchor the day with brief, frequent smaraṇa (upon waking, before meals, at transitions), treating it as inner purification rather than mere repetition.

Vishishtadvaita: Grace-mediated purification: the Lord’s remembrance functions as a direct purifier that removes pāpa and safeguards the devotee.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of constant remembrance of Vishnu in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents unbroken remembrance (aharniśaṃ saṃsmaraṇa) as a direct purifier that destroys all sins, preventing descent into naraka and orienting the devotee toward liberation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the removal of sin through devotion here?

Parāśara frames devotion as an inner purification: by continually recalling Vishnu, the devotee becomes śuddha (pure), with sins fully depleted (saṃkṣīṇākhila-pātaka).

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

Vishnu is treated as the sovereign, saving Supreme Reality whose remembrance itself has transformative power—overriding karmic downfall and securing spiritual protection and release.