Shloka 16

यमस्य अधिकारभङ्गः — वैष्णवस्य लक्षणम्

Freedom from Yama through Hari-śaraṇāgati

Devanagari script

कटकमुकुटकर्णिकादिभेदैः कनकम् अभेदम् अपीष्यते यथैकम् सुरपशुमनुजादिकल्पनाभिर् हरिर् अखिलाभिर् उदीर्यते तथैकः

Transliteration

kaṭakamukuṭakarṇikādibhedaiḥ kanakam abhedam apīṣyate yathaikam surapaśumanujādikalpanābhir harir akhilābhir udīryate tathaikaḥ

Translation

Just as gold, though fashioned into differing forms—bracelet, crown, ear-ornament and the like—is still acknowledged to be one and undivided, so too Hari is proclaimed through all conceptions—god, animal, human, and other forms—yet He remains the One alone.

Word by Word

• कटकमुकुटकर्णिकादिभेदैः: by differences such as bracelets, crowns, ear-ornaments, etc.
• कटकमुकुटकर्णिकादिभेदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटक-मुकुट-कर्णिका-आदि-भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः: (कटक + मुकुट + कर्णिका) इति द्वन्द्व-आधारः, ततः ‘आदि’ इति, ततः ‘भेद’ इत्यनेन षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-सम्बन्धः; समस्तपदम् ‘by (its) differences such as bracelet, crown, ear-ornament’

• कनकम्: gold
• कनकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अभेदम्: undivided/one (without difference)
• अभेदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कनकम्)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) ‘even/also’

• ईष्यते: is considered
• ईष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगः ‘is regarded/considered’

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamana (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमान/प्रकारवाचक ‘as/just as’

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कनकम्)

• सुरपशुमनुजादिकल्पनाभिः: by conceptions such as god, animal, human, etc.
• सुरपशुमनुजादिकल्पनाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-पशु-मनुज-आदि-कल्पना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः: (सुर + पशु + मनुज) इति द्वन्द्व-आधारः, ‘आदि’ सहितः, ततः ‘कल्पना’ इत्यनेन तत्पुरुष-सम्बन्धः; ‘by conceptions such as god, animal, human, etc.’

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अखिलाभिः: by all (such)
• अखिलाभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (कल्पनाभिः)

• उदीर्यते: is described
• उदीर्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-ईर् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे ‘is spoken of/expressed’

• तथा: so
• तथा: Upamana (Correlation/तथात्व)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तदनुरूप्ये ‘so/thus’

• एकः: one (alone)
• एकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (हरिः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Hari can be one while appearing as many forms and categories of beings

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Like gold remaining one despite many ornaments, Hari remains one reality while being spoken of through diverse manifested forms and names.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: See unity behind diversity: practice remembering the Lord in all beings, reducing hatred and pride while sustaining devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Unity-in-diversity: the One Lord is the inner ruler and substance of all modes (cit and acit) without losing transcendence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)
• Devas (Suras)
• Humans (Manujas)
• Animals (Pashus)

FAQs

What is the significance of the gold-and-ornament analogy in the Vishnu Purana?

It illustrates that apparent variety (bracelet, crown, earring) does not break underlying unity—likewise, Hari remains one reality though spoken of through many forms and categories of beings.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the One appearing as many?

He presents multiplicity as conceptual and functional distinctions (kalpanā) while affirming Hari’s essential oneness, just as gold is one substance across many ornaments.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as the single Supreme Reality pervading and governing all existence; diverse beings and divine forms do not imply multiple ultimate principles.