Shloka 8

नग्न-परिभाषा तथा देव-स्तोत्रपूर्वक मायामोह-उत्पत्ति

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

Devanagari script

मयापि तस्य गदतः श्रुतम् एतन् महात्मनः नग्नसंबन्धि मैत्रेय यत् पृष्टो ऽहम् इह त्वया

Transliteration

mayāpi tasya gadataḥ śrutam etan mahātmanaḥ nagnasaṃbandhi maitreya yat pṛṣṭo 'ham iha tvayā

Translation

O Maitreya—kinsman of the sage Nagnā—this very teaching that you ask me about here, I too once heard directly from that great-souled one as he spoke.

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Instrumental case, Singular

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; particle (also/indeed)

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Genitive case, Singular

• गदतः: of (him) speaking
• गदतः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गद् (धातु) → गदत् (शतृ-प्रत्यय कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; Present active participle (śatṛ), Masculine, Genitive singular

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (क्त-प्रत्यय कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Past passive participle, Neuter, Nom/Acc singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Neuter, Nom/Acc singular

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• महात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Genitive singular

• नग्नसंबन्धि: O one connected with Nagna (lineage/association)
• नग्नसंबन्धि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग्न + सम्बन्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (आमन्त्रण) विभक्ति, एकवचन; Tatpurusha compound, Vocative singular (address)

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Vocative singular

• यत्: which/that (what)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Relative pronoun, Neuter, Nom/Acc singular

• पृष्टः: (I was) asked
• पृष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृष्ट (क्त-प्रत्यय कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Nominative singular

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Instrumental singular

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Transmission of the teaching/hymn and its authoritative source (heard from the great-souled Nagnasambandhi).

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The hymn is presented as a faithfully transmitted revelation, grounding devotion in an authoritative guru-paramparā.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Seek teachings through reliable lineages and practice devotion with humility toward the source.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms mediated knowledge of the Supreme through trusted teachers, aligning devotion with revealed instruction rather than private speculation.

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Mahātmā (unnamed revered authority)
• Nagnas (as a relational identifier)

FAQs

What is the significance of oral transmission (śravaṇa/paramparā) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse emphasizes that Parāśara’s teaching is not invented but received—heard from a revered authority—grounding the Purāṇa in lineage-based authenticity.

How does Sage Parāśara explain his authority to teach Maitreya?

He presents himself as a faithful transmitter: what Maitreya asks, Parāśara answers based on what he previously heard from a great teacher while that teacher was expounding.

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

By establishing trustworthy transmission at the outset, the text prepares the reader to receive its central claim—Vishnu as the Supreme Reality and regulator of cosmic order—as authoritative teaching.