Shloka 19

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

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

Devanagari script

जगद् एतद् अनाधारं भ्रान्तिज्ञानार्थतत्परम् रागादिदुष्टम् अत्यर्थं भ्राम्यते भवसंकटे

Transliteration

jagad etad anādhāraṃ bhrāntijñānārthatatparam rāgādiduṣṭam atyarthaṃ bhrāmyate bhavasaṃkaṭe

Translation

This world has no true support of its own; it pursues ends founded on deluded knowledge. Corrupted by passion and the like, it wanders ceaselessly in the perilous straits of becoming (saṃsāra).

Word by Word

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (neuter, nominative singular)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter, nominative singular; adjective)

• अनाधारम्: without support; groundless
• अनाधारम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन् (नञ्-उपसर्ग) + आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (neuter nominative singular; negative determinative)

• भ्रान्तिज्ञानार्थतत्परम्: intent on the object of delusive knowledge
• भ्रान्तिज्ञानार्थतत्परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रान्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (neuter nominative singular; determinative compound)

• रागादिदुष्टम्: tainted by passion and the like
• रागादिदुष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (neuter nominative singular)

• अत्यर्थम्: excessively; greatly
• अत्यर्थम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यर्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• भ्राम्यते: wanders; is deluded
• भ्राम्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (present, 3rd person singular, atmanepada)

• भवसंकटे: in the peril of worldly existence
• भवसंकटे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक) + संकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (neuter locative singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya in the Vishnu Purana’s running dialogue)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Diagnosis of saṃsāra: deluded aims, rāga, and the world’s lack of self-support

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The world’s pursuits, rooted in deluded cognition and tainted by passion, keep beings wandering helplessly in the crisis of becoming.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Cultivate viveka (discernment) and dispassion by observing how rāga-driven goals perpetuate anxiety, then reorient life toward dharma and devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Highlights dependence of the jagat on a true ādhāra (Vishnu) and critiques autonomy of worldly aims—supporting the doctrine that the world is real yet dependent on the Lord.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of describing the world as 'anādhāra' in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights that worldly existence has no independent, lasting foundation; stability is found only in the Supreme support—Vishnu—rather than in transient phenomena.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of deluded knowledge in saṃsāra?

He indicates that when aims are pursued under mistaken understanding (bhrānti-jñāna), one repeatedly chooses binding actions and keeps wandering in the peril of becoming.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

By implying the world’s lack of self-support, the verse points toward Vishnu as the true ground and refuge; turning to right knowledge and devotion aligns the soul with that Supreme Reality.