Shloka 8

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

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

Devanagari script

एवंप्रकारैर् बहुभिर् युक्तिदर्शनवर्धितैः मायामोहेन दैत्यास् ते वेदमार्गाद् अपाकृताः

Transliteration

evaṃprakārair bahubhir yuktidarśanavardhitaiḥ māyāmohena daityās te vedamārgād apākṛtāḥ

Translation

Thus, by many such modes of argument—ingenious in appearance and strengthened by displays of reasoning—those Daityas, through the delusion of Māyā, were turned aside and driven away from the path of the Vedas.

Word by Word

• एवंप्रकारैः: by such ways/modes
• एवंप्रकारैः: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एवंप्रकार (प्रातिपदिक; एवम् + प्रकार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावसमासः (एवम्-प्रकारः = ‘in such a manner’)

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (एवंप्रकारैः इत्यस्य)

• युक्तिदर्शनवर्धितैः: strengthened by displays of reasoning
• युक्तिदर्शनवर्धितैः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्ति + दर्शन + वर्धित (कृदन्त; √वृध् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषसमासः (युक्ति-दर्शन-वर्धित = ‘enhanced by showing reasoning’)

• मायामोहेन: by delusion of illusion
• मायामोहेन: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मायामोह (प्रातिपदिक; माया + मोह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (मायायाः मोहः)

• दैत्याः: the demons (Daityas)
• दैत्याः: कर्ता (Subject/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• ते: those
• ते: कर्ता (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• वेदमार्गात्: from the path of the Veda
• वेदमार्गात्: अपादान (Ablative/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदमार्ग (प्रातिपदिक; वेद + मार्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (वेदस्य मार्गः)

• अपाकृताः: were turned away/removed
• अपाकृताः: कर्मणि-भाव (Predicate/Result state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + आ + √कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (passive/resultative) ‘removed/turned away’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the Daityas were led away from the Vedic path by māyā and specious reasoning

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Reasoning that is merely clever in appearance, when driven by māyā, can estrange beings from the Vedic norm and right discernment.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Test persuasive arguments against śāstra, lived virtue, and the fruits they produce; avoid debate that inflames ego or relativizes dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms śāstra-prāmāṇya under the Lord’s governance: intellect must be aligned to Bhagavān’s revealed order, not autonomous sophistry.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Daityas
• Maya (illusion)
• Vedas

FAQs

What is the significance of Māyā in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

Māyā is shown as the power of delusion that can make even forceful “reasoning” appear convincing, yet still lead beings away from Vedic dharma and right knowledge.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Daityas’ fall from the Vedic path here?

He attributes it to many persuasive forms of argumentation—bolstered by showy logical demonstrations—which, under māyā’s influence, cause the Daityas to abandon the Vedic way.

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

Implicitly, the verse supports a Vaishnava view that true order and dharma rest on the Vedic path upheld under the Supreme Reality’s sovereignty, while māyā-driven error diverts beings into adharma.