Shloka 100

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

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

Devanagari script

पाषण्डिनो विकर्मस्थान् बैडालव्रतिकाञ् छठान् हैतुकान् बकवृत्तींश् च वाङ्मात्रेणापि नार्चयेत्

Transliteration

pāṣaṇḍino vikarmasthān baiḍālavratikāñ chaṭhān haitukān bakavṛttīṃś ca vāṅmātreṇāpi nārcayet

Translation

One should not offer even verbal honor to heretics—those fixed in forbidden acts, those who keep the ‘cat-like vow’, the deceitful, the sophists, and those whose conduct is like a crane’s.

Word by Word

• पाषण्डिनः: heretics
• पाषण्डिनः: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाषण्डिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (छान्दस/प्रयोगभेदेन -o/-aḥ); कर्मपदम्

• विकर्मस्थान्: those engaged in forbidden acts
• विकर्मस्थान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकर्म + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विकर्मणि/विकर्मस्य स्थानम्—अधर्मकर्म-आश्रिताः)

• बैडालव्रतिकान्: those with ‘cat-like’ vows (hypocritical ascetics)
• बैडालव्रतिकान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बैडाल + व्रतिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (बिडालवत् व्रतं येषाम्/बिडाल-व्रतिनः)

• छठान्: deceivers/cheats
• छठान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• हैतुकान्: mere rationalists/sophists
• हैतुकान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हैतुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• बकवृत्तीन्: those with crane-like conduct (pretenders)
• बकवृत्तीन्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बक + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (बकस्य वृत्तिः—बकवृत्तिः; तद्वन्तः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• वाक्: by speech
• वाक्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; (समासे पूर्वपदत्वात् रूपम् ‘वाङ्’)

• मात्रेण: merely/only
• मात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘केवल’-अर्थे

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (even/also)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• अर्चयेत्: should honor/worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identification of pāṣaṇḍa and hypocritical ascetic types; injunction to withhold honor from them.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: stern, protective of dharma

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Do not even verbally honor heretical or hypocritical practitioners—those engaged in forbidden acts or deceitful ‘vows’—because false religiosity undermines dharma-oriented devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice discernment: do not legitimize exploitative or manipulative ‘spirituality’; support teachers and communities aligned with ethical conduct and scriptural accountability.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhakti to Viṣṇu is safeguarded by right ācāra; honoring śāstra-viruddha conduct weakens the soul’s proper service (kainkarya) to the Lord.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of condemning hypocrisy (baka-vṛtti and baiḍāla-vrata) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames hypocrisy as spiritually corrosive: outward signs of holiness without dharma and devotion disrupt social order and mislead seekers, so even verbal reverence is discouraged.

How does Sage Parāśara explain discernment in religious life here?

Parāśara’s instruction stresses ethical discrimination—avoiding honoring those rooted in prohibited action, deception, or sophistry—so that one’s reverence and association remain aligned with dharma.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching assumes dharma’s purpose is to support devotion to the Supreme Lord; rejecting false religiosity protects the path oriented toward Vishnu as the highest reality.