Shloka 41

सदाचार-नियमाः: शील, संयम, संग-निषेध, शुचिता, वाणी-नीति, परोपकारः

Devanagari script

पापे ऽप्य् अपापः पुरुषे ऽप्य् अभिधत्ते प्रियाणि यः मैत्रीद्रवान्तःकरणस् तस्य मुक्तिः करे स्थिता

Transliteration

pāpe 'py apāpaḥ puruṣe 'py abhidhatte priyāṇi yaḥ maitrīdravāntaḥkaraṇas tasya muktiḥ kare sthitā

Translation

Even among the sinful he remains unstained; even among the harsh he offers what is dear. For one whose heart melts with friendliness and compassion, liberation rests already in the palm of his hand.

Word by Word

• पापे: in/with regard to a sinner (even in the sinful)
• पापे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरणे (locative of sphere)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अर्थः—अपि=even/also

• अपापः: sinless
• अपापः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (negated adjective)

• पुरुषे: in a man/person
• पुरुषे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अर्थः—also/even

• अभिधत्ते: speaks/utters
• अभिधत्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; अर्थः—speaks/utters

• प्रियाणि: pleasant (words/things)
• प्रियाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्म (object)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• मैत्री-द्रव-अन्तःकरणः: one whose inner organ (mind) is softened by friendliness
• मैत्री-द्रव-अन्तःकरणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मैत्री (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रव (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तःकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मैत्र्या द्रवम् अन्तःकरणं यस्य/मैत्रीद्रवम् अन्तःकरणम्); विशेषणम्

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय (subject)

• करे: in the hand
• करे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

• स्थितā: placed/standing
• स्थितā: Karta-related Predicate (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मुक्तिः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Ethical qualities that purify the mind and lead to liberation (maitrī, karuṇā, non-contamination amid sin)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A heart softened by friendliness and compassion remains undefiled even in corrupt surroundings, and such purity makes liberation immediately attainable.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Cultivate maitrī and karuṇā in daily interactions—especially with difficult people—so the mind stays untainted and steady in sādhana.

Vishishtadvaita: Liberation is approached through a purified, grace-receptive self (jīva) whose dharmic dispositions align it with the Lord’s will, not by mere social circumstance.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Moksha (Mukti)
• Dharma (ethical virtue)

FAQs

What is the significance of compassion (maitrī) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse treats compassion and friendliness as a direct sign of spiritual ripeness—so powerful that liberation is said to be already “in one’s hand.”

How does Sage Parāśara explain the mark of a liberated-leaning person here?

He defines it by conduct and inner texture: remaining untainted among the sinful and responding even to difficult people with what is beneficial and pleasing, because the heart is softened by benevolence.

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

While Vishnu is not named in the line, the Purana’s framework implies that such sattvic, compassionate dharma aligns the person with Vishnu’s sustaining order, making moksha attainable through His supreme governance and grace.