Shloka 3

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

मयूरा मौनिनस् तस्थुः परित्यक्तमदा वने असारतां परिज्ञाय संसारस्येव योगिनः

Transliteration

mayūrā mauninas tasthuḥ parityaktamadā vane asāratāṃ parijñāya saṃsārasyeva yoginaḥ

Translation

The peacocks stood silent in the forest, their pride cast away—having understood the hollowness of worldly life, like yogins who discern the futility of saṃsāra.

Word by Word

• मयूराः: peacocks
• मयूराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मयूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• मौनिनः: silent; quiet
• मौनिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मौनिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• तस्थुः: stood; remained
• तस्थुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• परित्यक्त-मदाः: having abandoned intoxication/pride
• परित्यक्त-मदाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-त्यज् (धातु) → त्यक्त (कृदन्त) + मद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural); भूतकृदन्त ‘त्यक्त’ = abandoned; (परित्यक्तमदाः)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (singular)

• असारताम्: the worthlessness; lack of essence
• असारताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असारता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• परिज्ञाय: having understood
• परिज्ञाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) अव्यय; ‘having fully known’

• संसारस्य: of worldly existence
• संसारस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (singular)

• इव: like; as if
• इव: Upamana-marker (उपमानसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (upamā particle)

• योगिनः: yogins
• योगिनः: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When the insubstantiality of saṃsāra is discerned, pride falls away and a natural quietude arises, like peacocks stilled in the forest.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Cultivate daily reflection on impermanence and observe how status-seeking fuels agitation; practice periods of silence and simple living to weaken mada.

Vishishtadvaita: Dispassion is not nihilism but reorientation: the self finds peace by relinquishing egoic display and turning toward the Lord as the true āśraya (support).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Yogins (ascetics)

FAQs

What is the significance of abandoning mada (pride) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames pride as a kind of intoxication that must be relinquished; true steadiness arises when one recognizes the world’s insubstantial nature and turns inward like a yogin.

How does Sage Parāśara explain detachment (vairāgya) through imagery?

He uses the peacock’s sudden silence and loss of display as a metaphor for the seeker who drops outward show after realizing the emptiness of saṃsāra.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the Purana’s intent is to guide the mind from worldly fascination toward the Supreme Reality; discernment and renunciation prepare devotion and knowledge oriented to Vishnu as the highest truth.