Shloka 9

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

पूर्वत्यक्तैः सरोऽम्भोभिर् हंसा योगं पुनर् ययुः क्लेशैः कुयोगिनो ऽशेषैर् अन्तरायहता इव

Transliteration

pūrvatyaktaiḥ saro'mbhobhir haṃsā yogaṃ punar yayuḥ kleśaiḥ kuyogino 'śeṣair antarāyahatā iva

Translation

As swans return again to the yogic path by resorting to the waters of lakes once abandoned, so misguided practitioners—struck down by obstacles and afflicted by every torment—turn back once more toward discipline, as though compelled by suffering itself.

Word by Word

• पूर्व-त्यक्तैः: by the previously abandoned
• पूर्व-त्यक्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + त्यक्त (कृदन्त; √त्यज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त-विशेषणम् (instrumental plural)

• सरः: the lake
• सरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अम्भोभिः: with waters
• अम्भोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• हंसाः: swans
• हंसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• योगम्: union/yoga
• योगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्ययम् (adverb)

• ययुः: went/returned
• ययुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• क्लेशैः: by afflictions
• क्लेशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• कु-योगिनः: bad/false yogins
• कु-योगिनः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (दुष्टाः योगिनः)

• अशेषैः: by all, without remainder
• अशेषैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of क्लेशैः)

• अन्तराय-हताः: struck down by obstacles
• अन्तराय-हताः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तराय (प्रातिपदिक) + हत (कृदन्त; √हन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त-विशेषणम्

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्ययम् (comparative particle)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Those who stray in practice often return to discipline when obstacles and afflictions expose the instability of their path.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Treat setbacks as feedback: re-establish foundational sādhana (ethics, steadiness, guidance) rather than doubling down on भ्रम (confusion).

Vishishtadvaita: Afflictions can become grace-like correctives, turning the jīva back toward the Supreme-supporting discipline.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Sage Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Haṃsa (swans)
• Antarāya (obstacles)
• Kleśa (afflictions)

FAQs

What is the significance of obstacles (antarāya) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

They function as corrective forces: when misguided practice collapses under impediments and suffering, the aspirant is driven back toward genuine discipline and steadiness.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the return to yoga after failure?

Through the swan metaphor: just as swans revisit former waters, a person who strays may, after experiencing kleśas, return again to the path of yoga with renewed seriousness.

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

Implicitly, the verse aligns with Vishnu’s sovereignty over cosmic order: even afflictions and setbacks operate within dharma, steering beings back toward right practice and ultimate dependence on the Supreme.