Shloka 24

नग्न-परिभाषा तथा देव-स्तोत्रपूर्वक मायामोह-उत्पत्ति

Defining ‘Nagna’ and the Devas’ Hymn Leading to Māyāmoha

Devanagari script

अवबोधि च यच् छान्तम् अदोषम् अपकल्मषम् ऋषिरूपात्मने तस्मै विष्णो रूपाय ते नमः

Transliteration

avabodhi ca yac chāntam adoṣam apakalmaṣam ṛṣirūpātmane tasmai viṣṇo rūpāya te namaḥ

Translation

Salutations to that form of Vishnu whose very nature is the sage—awakening-awareness itself: serene, flawless, and untouched by impurity.

Word by Word

• अवबोधि: know/understand
• अवबोधि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव√बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (Imperative, 2nd person singular, Parasmaipada)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Visheshana (Relative/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (Neuter, Nom/Acc Singular)

• शान्तम्: peaceful
• शान्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √शम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); (Neuter, Nom/Acc Singular, PPP)

• अदोषम्: faultless
• अदोषम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (उपसर्ग/नञ्) + दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थ (negated); (Neuter, Nom/Acc Singular)

• अपकल्मषम्: free from impurity
• अपकल्मषम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + कल्मष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (Neuter, Nom/Acc Singular)

• ऋषिरूपात्मने: to the one whose nature is the form of a sage
• ऋषिरूपात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; (Masculine, Dative Singular)

• तस्मै: to that (one)
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; (Dative Singular)

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; (Masculine, Vocative Singular)

• रूपाय: to the form
• रूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; (Neuter, Dative Singular)

• ते: your
• ते: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; (Genitive/Dative Singular) — अत्र षष्ठी (your)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojaka/Formula (Salutation formula)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात); दत्तिवाचक-प्रयोगः (used with dative)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (within the Parāśara–Maitreya dialogue, as a laudatory/praise verse)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The Lord’s pure, rishi-like, awakening form as an object of contemplation and praise

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vishnu’s sage-nature is pure awareness—serene, faultless, and untouched by impurity—fit for meditative realization.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate sāttvika discipline (truthfulness, restraint, study) and meditate on the Lord as stainless awareness within and beyond the mind.

Vishishtadvaita: The ‘flawless’ Lord is transcendent yet approachable as the object of dhyāna; purity belongs to Him essentially, while souls participate by grace.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Rishi (sage-form of Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being described as “apakalmaṣa” (stainless) in the Vishnu Purana?

It emphasizes Vishnu’s transcendence over karma and impurity—His nature is inherently pure, making Him the ultimate refuge and the source of untainted knowledge.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine knowledge through the idea of “ṛṣi-rūpa” (sage-form)?

By praising Vishnu as having a sage-form essence, the Purana frames revelation as divinely grounded yet transmitted through rishis—linking scripture, teaching, and cosmic order.

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

Vishnu is presented as the flawless, serene Supreme Reality whose manifestations include the very principle of awakened wisdom—supporting a Vaishnava view of God as both transcendent and immanently guiding through sages.