Shloka 10

मायामोह-प्रवर्तन, वेदमार्ग-बहिष्कार, तथा पाषण्ड-संसर्ग-दोषः

Māyāmoha’s Delusion, Rejection of the Vedic Path, and the Fault of Heretical Association

Devanagari script

परमार्थो ऽयम् अत्यर्थं परमार्थो न चाप्य् अयम्

Transliteration

paramārtho 'yam atyarthaṃ paramārtho na cāpy ayam

Translation

This indeed is the Highest Truth—most truly so; and yet, this too is not (fully) the Highest Truth.

Word by Word

• परमार्थः: the highest truth
• परमार्थः: कर्ता/विधेय (Subject/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमार्थ (प्रातिपदिक; परम + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (परमः अर्थः)

• अयम्: this (one/this doctrine)
• अयम्: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अत्यर्थम्: excessively/very much
• अत्यर्थम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यर्थम् (अव्ययभावे; अत्यर्थ (प्रातिपदिक))
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

• परमार्थः: highest truth
• परमार्थः: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• अपि: also
• अपि: समुच्चय (Additive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-अव्यय (also/even)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Illustration of how ‘highest truth’ language can be used self-contradictorily to confuse

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A doctrine may proclaim itself ‘paramārtha’ yet, by internal inconsistency, fail to disclose the complete Highest Reality.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Do not accept ‘ultimate truth’ claims on rhetoric; examine coherence with śruti, capacity to ground ethics, and whether it leads to devotion and inner transformation.

Vishishtadvaita: Guards the Viśiṣṭādvaita insistence that Brahman is determinate (with auspicious attributes) and knowable through śāstra, not via self-negating absolutisms.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Paramārtha (Supreme Truth)

FAQs

What is the significance of 'Paramārtha' (the Highest Truth) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights that the Supreme Reality can be indicated as ultimate, yet it ultimately exceeds the limits of language and mental concepts.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the paradox of describing the Supreme?

He affirms the Highest Truth while also denying any final adequacy of a single formulation—showing that scriptural statements point toward the Supreme but do not exhaust it.

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

The teaching supports the view that Vishnu is the Supreme Reality (Para Brahman), knowable through revelation and devotion, yet beyond complete capture by ordinary definition.