Shloka 5

नग्न-परिभाषा तथा देव-स्तोत्रपूर्वक मायामोह-उत्पत्ति

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

Devanagari script

ऋग्यजुःसामसंज्ञेयं त्रयी वर्णावृतिर् द्विज एताम् उज्झति यो मोहात् स नग्नः पातकी स्मृतः

Transliteration

ṛgyajuḥsāmasaṃjñeyaṃ trayī varṇāvṛtir dvija etām ujjhati yo mohāt sa nagnaḥ pātakī smṛtaḥ

Translation

O twice-born, the threefold Veda—known as Ṛg, Yajus, and Sāman—is the covering of one’s sacred station. Whoever, through delusion, casts away that Vedic mantle is regarded as ‘naked’ and remembered as a sinner.

Word by Word

• ऋग्यजुःसामसंज्ञेयम्: to be called Ṛg, Yajus, and Sāman
• ऋग्यजुःसामसंज्ञेयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋक् (प्रातिपदिक) + यजुः (प्रातिपदिक) + सामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञेय (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—“ऋग्-यजुः-साम- (इति) संज्ञेयम्” (to be designated as Ṛg/Yajus/Sāman)

• त्रयी: the triad (Vedic triple)
• त्रयी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वर्णावृतिः: the covering of the varṇas (letters/sounds)
• वर्णावृतिः: Pratijna (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—“वर्णानाम् आवृतिः”

• द्विज: O twice-born
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• एताम्: this (triad/covering)
• एताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘त्रयी/आवृतिः’ इत्यस्य निर्देशः

• उज्झति: abandons/casts off
• उज्झति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उज्झ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

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

• मोहात्: out of delusion
• मोहात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (cause)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (correlative pronoun)

• नग्नः: (is) ‘nagna’
• नग्नः: Pratijna (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नग्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

• पातकी: a sinner
• पातकी: Pratijna (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्मृतः: is regarded (as)
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP)
• Form: क्तप्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—“is considered/remembered as”

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Definition of 'nagna' in terms of abandoning the Vedic triple canon as dharmic covering for the dvija.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative; corrective and normative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For the twice-born, the Ṛg–Yajus–Sāman triad is a dharmic ‘covering’; to abandon it in delusion is to become ‘nagna’—spiritually exposed and blameworthy.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat one’s received disciplines (study, daily duties, ethical restraints) as protective ‘clothing’ for character; do not discard them out of fashionable skepticism or negligence.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is upheld as Bhagavat-priya and order-sustaining; adherence to Vedic injunctions is a mode of service (śeṣatva) to the Supreme.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the significance of the three Vedas in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

They are presented as the essential ‘covering’ or safeguard of dharma for the twice-born—without adherence to them, one is considered to have abandoned sacred order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the idea of being 'naked' (nagna) here?

It is a moral metaphor: one who rejects the Vedic triad is ‘naked’ of dharma—bereft of the protective discipline and identity that the Veda provides.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purāṇa frames Vedic dharma as part of the cosmic order upheld under Vishnu’s sovereignty; rejecting it is portrayed as falling away from that sustaining order.