Shloka 12

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

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

Devanagari script

इत्य् अनेकान्तवादं च मायामोहेन नैकधा तेन दर्शयता दैत्याः स्वधर्मांस् त्याजिता द्विज

Transliteration

ity anekāntavādaṃ ca māyāmohena naikadhā tena darśayatā daityāḥ svadharmāṃs tyājitā dvija

Translation

Thus, by means of a delusive bewilderment (māyā-moha), he propounded the doctrine of “many-sidedness” in manifold ways; and by having it displayed in this manner, O brāhmaṇa, the Daityas were made to abandon their own ordained dharmas.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्यचिह्न (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-अव्यय (quotative)

• अनेकान्तवादम्: the doctrine of many-sidedness
• अनेकान्तवादम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनेकान्त + वाद (प्रातिपदिक; अनेक + अन्त + वाद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (अनेकान्तस्य वादः)

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

• मायामोहेन: by delusion of illusion
• मायामोहेन: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मायामोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• नैकधा: in various ways
• नैकधा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न + एकधा (अव्यय; एकधा)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb of manner); ‘in not one way’ = ‘in many ways’

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: करण/कर्ता (Instrument/Agent in participial construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दर्शयता: by (him) showing/teaching
• दर्शयता: कर्ता (Agent in participial phrase)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle, causative); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘while causing to be shown/teaching’

• दैत्याः: the Daityas
• दैत्याः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• स्वधर्मान्: their own duties
• स्वधर्मान्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + धर्म)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (स्वस्य धर्माः)

• त्याजिताः: were made to abandon
• त्याजिताः: कर्मणि-भाव (Predicate/Result state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (passive/resultative) ‘were caused to abandon’

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; addressing him as dvija)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the doctrine of many-sidedness was displayed to delude the Daityas into forsaking their ordained duties

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When māyā presents many-sided, endlessly qualifying views as final truth, beings can be induced to abandon svadharma; steadiness in śāstra-grounded duty protects the path toward liberation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Hold to a stable sādhana and ethical commitments anchored in Bhagavān and guru-śāstra; treat ‘everything is equally true’ rhetoric with caution when it erodes responsibility and devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Māyā is Bhagavān-āśritā and can delude the averse; liberation requires positive surrender and service to Viṣṇu, not suspension of determinate dharma.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Daityas
• Māyā (delusive power)

FAQs

What is the significance of māyā-moha in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It denotes a divinely permitted delusion through which beings—here, the Daityas—are steered into confusion, resulting in the abandonment of their rightful dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain doctrinal confusion in this context?

He frames it as a teaching presented “in many ways” (naikadhā) that produces uncertainty and thereby dislodges adherence to svadharma, functioning as a narrative mechanism for moral and cosmic decline.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here, even though he is not named in the verse?

The verse supports the Purāṇic theme that dharma and cosmic order ultimately rest under Vishnu’s sovereignty: deviations occur through māyā’s operation, but the overarching governance of order and restoration remains anchored in the Supreme Lord.