Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

तस्माद् दुःखात्मकं नास्ति न च किंचित् सुखात्मकम् मनसः परिणामो ऽयं सुखदुःखादिलक्षणः

Transliteration

tasmād duḥkhātmakaṃ nāsti na ca kiṃcit sukhātmakam manasaḥ pariṇāmo 'yaṃ sukhaduḥkhādilakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

Therefore nothing is, in itself, made of sorrow; nor is anything, in itself, made of happiness. What is known as happiness, sorrow, and the like is only a transformation of the mind.

Word by Word

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

• दुःख-आत्मकम्: of the nature of sorrow
• दुःख-आत्मकम्: Karma/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: दुःखस्वभावम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (agreeing), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• अस्ति: exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; नास्ति = न + अस्ति

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अन्वय अव्यय (conjunction)

• किंचित्: anything; something
• किंचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम/अनिश्चित, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुख-आत्मकम्: of the nature of happiness
• सुख-आत्मकम्: Karma/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: सुखस्वभावम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (agreeing), एकवचन

• मनसः: of the mind
• मनसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• परिणामः: transformation; modification
• परिणामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिणाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सुख-दुःख-आदि-लक्षणः: characterized by happiness, sorrow, etc.
• सुख-दुःख-आदि-लक्षणः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/तत्पुरुष-प्राय: 'सुखदुःखादीनि लक्षणानि यस्य'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (परिणामस्य)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya in the Moksha section)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: No entity is intrinsically ‘sorrow-made’ or ‘happiness-made’; sukha and duḥkha are mental transformations (manasaḥ pariṇāma).

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Label feelings as passing vṛttis; reduce reactivity by returning to breath, mantra, or remembrance of Nārāyaṇa when emotions surge.

Vishishtadvaita: Distinguishes real world-objects from the mind’s affective superimpositions; supports disciplined bhakti with equanimity toward worldly dualities.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of happiness and sorrow being described as mental modifications in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse grounds spiritual practice in discernment: pleasure and pain are not intrinsic properties of external things but arise from the mind’s changing states, enabling detachment and steadiness on the path to moksha.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the experience of sukha and duḥkha?

Parāśara frames sukha-duḥkha as ‘manasaḥ pariṇāma’—a transformation of the mind—so the seeker should work on understanding and mastering the mind rather than blaming objects as inherently pleasant or painful.

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

In Ansha 6, liberation-oriented teaching ultimately aligns the seeker with the Supreme Reality (Vishnu): by seeing mind-born fluctuations as non-ultimate, one becomes fit for unwavering devotion and knowledge directed toward Vishnu as the highest truth.