Shloka 14

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

नभसो ऽब्दान् भुवः पङ्कं कालुष्यं चाम्भसः शरत् इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः प्रत्याहार इवाहरत्

Transliteration

nabhaso 'bdān bhuvaḥ paṅkaṃ kāluṣyaṃ cāmbhasaḥ śarat indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyaḥ pratyāhāra ivāharat

Translation

Autumn (Śarat) drew away the clouds from the sky, the mire from the earth, and the turbidity from the waters—just as pratyāhāra withdraws the senses from their objects, restoring clarity within.

Word by Word

• नभसः: from the sky
• नभसः: Apadana/Source (Source relation/अपादान-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन (singular)

• अब्दान्: clouds
• अब्दान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

• भुवः: from the earth
• भुवः: Apadana/Source (Source relation/अपादान-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन (singular)

• पङ्कम्: mud
• पङ्कम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• कालुष्यं: turbidity; impurity
• कालुष्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अम्भसः: from the water
• अम्भसः: Apadana/Source (Source relation/अपादान-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन (singular)

• शरत्: autumn
• शरत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• इन्द्रियाणि: the senses
• इन्द्रियाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

• इन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः: from the objects of the senses
• इन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), पञ्चमी (ablative), बहुवचन (plural); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (इन्द्रियाणाम् अर्थाः)

• प्रत्याहारः: withdrawal (of senses)
• प्रत्याहारः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-आ-हृ (धातु) + घञ् (प्रत्यय) → प्रत्याहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• इव: like; as if
• इव: Upamana-marker (Simile marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• अहरत्: removed; took away
• अहरत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: instructive, metaphor-rich

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pratyāhāra withdraws the senses from objects as autumn removes clouds, mire, and water’s turbidity—restoring lucidity.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Reduce sensory overstimulation (digital/consumer inputs), set periods of silence and focused japa/meditation to regain clarity.

Vishishtadvaita: Sense-restraint is oriented toward loving service: the purified senses become instruments for the Lord’s worship rather than self-centered enjoyment.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Śarat (Autumn)
• Pratyāhāra
• Indriyas (senses)

FAQs

What is the significance of Śarat (autumn) in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, Śarat symbolizes purification and restoration of clarity—removing clouds, mud, and water’s turbidity—showing how seasonal cycles uphold cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain pratyāhāra through nature?

He uses autumn as an analogy: as Śarat withdraws obscuring elements from sky, earth, and water, pratyāhāra withdraws the senses from sense-objects, producing inner lucidity.

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

Though not named in the verse, the teaching fits the Purana’s vision of Vishnu as the Supreme Regulator whose ordered cosmos expresses dharma—outer seasonal purification echoing the inner discipline that leads toward the Supreme Reality.