Shloka 119

सूर्यरथ-कालचक्र-आयनविभागः, संध्योपासनम्, देवयान-पितृयानम्, विष्णुपद-गङ्गावतरणम्

Devanagari script

स्नानाद् विधूतपापाश् च यज्जले यतयस् तथा केशवासक्तमनसः प्राप्ता निर्वाणम् उत्तमम्

Transliteration

snānād vidhūtapāpāś ca yajjale yatayas tathā keśavāsaktamanasaḥ prāptā nirvāṇam uttamam

Translation

By bathing in that water, ascetics too had their sins washed away; and with minds fastened upon Keśava, they attained the supreme nirvāṇa—final liberation.

Word by Word

• स्नानात्: from bathing
• स्नानात्: अपादान (Ablative/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे

• विधूतपापाः: with sins washed away
• विधूतपापाः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + धूत (कृदन्त; √धू धातु) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषभावः — ‘whose sins are shaken off’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• यत्: in which
• यत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (agreeing with जले)

• जले: in the water
• जले: अधिकरण (Locative/स्थान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• यतयः: ascetics
• यतयः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘thus/likewise’)

• केशवासक्तमनसः: whose minds are attached to Keśava
• केशवासक्तमनसः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केशव + आसक्त + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः — ‘whose minds are attached to Keśava’

• प्राप्ताः: attained
• प्राप्ताः: क्रिया (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्राप्त (कृदन्त; √आप् धातु, उपसर्गः प्र-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘having attained’ (used predicatively)

• निर्वाणम्: liberation (nirvāṇa)
• निर्वाणम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: supreme
• उत्तमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with निर्वाणम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How tīrtha-bathing and Keśava-bhakti culminate in supreme nirvāṇa

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: External purification supports inner single-pointed devotion to Keśava, culminating in the highest liberation (nirvāṇa).

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Pair discipline (purity, restraint) with daily Keśava-smaraṇa/meditation to transform practice into liberation-oriented devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Mokṣa arises from God-centered realization and devotion; purification is auxiliary, while Keśava is the final object and grantor of release.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Keśava

FAQs

What is the significance of sacred bathing (tīrtha-snān) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents tīrtha-snān as a powerful purifier that removes sin, especially when joined with devotion—bathing becomes spiritually effective when the mind is oriented to Keśava.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the means to liberation in this context?

Parāśara links outward purification (bathing) with inward fixation of consciousness on Keśava, teaching that liberation culminates through devotion-centered remembrance rather than ritual alone.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (Keśava) here?

Keśava is treated as the supreme refuge whose grace and remembrance lead to the highest nirvāṇa, reflecting the Vaishnava view of Vishnu as the ultimate ground of release.