Shloka 31
मायामोह-प्रवर्तन, वेदमार्ग-बहिष्कार, तथा पाषण्ड-संसर्ग-दोषः
Māyāmoha’s Delusion, Rejection of the Vedic Path, and the Fault of Heretical Association
न ह्य् आप्तवादा नभसो निपतन्ति महासुराः युक्तिमद् वचनं ग्राह्यं मयान्यैश् च भवद्विधैः
na hy āptavādā nabhaso nipatanti mahāsurāḥ yuktimad vacanaṃ grāhyaṃ mayānyaiś ca bhavadvidhaiḥ
O mighty Asuras, trustworthy testimony does not fall from the sky; a statement grounded in reason should be accepted—by me and by others like you who can discern.
Uncertain (verse presented without surrounding dialogue context); likely a didactic speaker within the Parāśara–Maitreya narrative frame
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: The rhetorical strategy used to detach Daityas from śabda-pramāṇa (Vedic testimony)
Teaching: Philosophical
Quality: analytical
Concept: Authoritative testimony is not arbitrary; statements should be accepted when they are grounded in coherent reasoning and discernment.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Cultivate critical inquiry: examine sources, test consistency, and adopt beliefs that withstand rational scrutiny without abandoning reverence.
Vishishtadvaita: In Vishishtadvaita, śabda (Veda) is supreme pramāṇa, yet yukti serves as a harmonizing aid—this verse dramatizes the tension by privileging yukti as a delusive pivot.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
FAQs
This verse prioritizes discernment: statements should be accepted when they are grounded in sound reasoning, not merely because they claim authority.
The verse implies that “trustworthy words” are not automatic or self-validating; they must be examined and received through rational evaluation by competent listeners.
Even when not named, the Vishnu Purana frames truth and order as aligned with dharma upheld by the Supreme Reality; reasoned acceptance of truth supports the maintenance of that cosmic order.