Shloka 40

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

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

Devanagari script

प्रायश्चित्तेन महता शुद्धिं प्राप्नोत्य् अनापदि पक्षं नित्यक्रियाहानेः कर्ता मैत्रेय मानवः

Transliteration

prāyaścittena mahatā śuddhiṃ prāpnoty anāpadi pakṣaṃ nityakriyāhāneḥ kartā maitreya mānavaḥ

Translation

By a great act of expiation one may regain purity; yet in times free from distress, whoever allows even a fortnight’s lapse of the daily obligatory rites—O Maitreya—is to be regarded as blameworthy.

Word by Word

• प्रायश्चित्तेन: by expiation
• प्रायश्चित्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• महता: great
• महता: Karana (Instrument qualifier/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रायश्चित्तेन)

• शुद्धिम्: purity
• शुद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्राप्नोति: attains
• प्राप्नोति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अनापदि: when there is no emergency
• अनापदि: Adhikarana (Condition locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनापद् (प्रातिपदिक; न+आपद्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; नञ्-समास (absence of calamity)

• पक्षम्: for a fortnight
• पक्षम्: Karma (Extent/measure as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण

• नित्यक्रियाहानेः: of the omission of daily rites
• नित्यक्रियाहानेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य + क्रिया + हानि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नित्यक्रियायाः हानिः)

• कर्ता: the doer (one responsible)
• कर्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• मानवः: a man
• मानवः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Prāyaścitta for lapses in nitya-kriyā and culpability when no distress exists

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: precise

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Purification is regained through substantial expiation, yet deliberate lapse of daily duties even for a fortnight (when not in distress) is a serious fault.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: When discipline breaks, repair promptly: acknowledge, make amends (extra japa/sevā/charity), and re-establish routine instead of normalizing neglect.

Vishishtadvaita: Śuddhi is relational—restoring one’s fitness for Bhagavad-ārādhana and community dharma, not merely private ‘self-improvement’.

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Human beings (mānava)

FAQs

What is the significance of prāyaścitta (expiation) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that major expiation can restore purity, but it also emphasizes that expiation is not a license for neglect—daily duties must be maintained when no hardship prevents them.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the ethical weight of neglecting nitya-karma?

He frames neglect as personal responsibility: if there is no crisis, even a fortnight’s lapse in obligatory daily rites is culpable because it represents abandonment of sustaining discipline.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching reflects Vaishnava dharma: orderly daily conduct and purification practices align the individual with the cosmic order ultimately upheld by Vishnu as Supreme Sovereignty.