Shloka 28

Devanagari script

विहाराद्युपभोगेषु रूपं मायामयं शुभम् दर्शयाम् आस दैत्यस्य तस्येयं मदिरेक्षणा

Transliteration

vihārādyupabhogeṣu rūpaṃ māyāmayaṃ śubham darśayām āsa daityasya tasyeyaṃ madirekṣaṇā

Translation

Amid sport and enjoyment, this woman of wine-like eyes displayed to that Daitya a beautiful, auspicious form fashioned of māyā, ensnaring his mind.

Word by Word

• विहार-आदि-उपभोगेषु: in pleasures such as amusements
• विहार-आदि-उपभोगेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहार (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + उपभोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः (विहारादयः उपभोगाः)

• रूपम्: a form
• रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• माया-मयम्: magical/illusory
• माया-मयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मायया मयम् = made of magic)

• शुभम्: beautiful/auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• दर्शयाम्: showed
• दर्शयाम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; परिप्रास-लिट् with ‘आस’

• आस: did/was (aux.)
• आस: Kriya (Auxiliary)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; सहायक-क्रिया

• दैत्यस्य: of the demon
• दैत्यस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इयम्: this (woman)
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मदिर-ईक्षणा: she whose eyes are intoxicating
• मदिर-ईक्षणा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदिर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईक्षणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (मदिरम् ईक्षणं यस्याः सा)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Māyāvatī displayed an illusory beautiful form to Śambara during enjoyments

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna’s līlā includes the unraveling of asuric delusion: Śambara is ensnared by māyā and thereby becomes vulnerable to righteous retribution through Pradyumna.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Restraint of adharmic desire and exposure of deceptive pleasure as a snare

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sense-pleasures, when pursued under delusion, become instruments of bondage and moral downfall.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice mindful restraint and examine motivations; treat beauty and pleasure as transient, not as ultimate sources of fulfillment.

Vishishtadvaita: Worldly qualities are real yet dependent (śeṣa) and must be enjoyed in alignment with Bhagavān’s order; otherwise they bind.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Vyuha Form: Pradyumna

Characters & Entities

• Daitya
• Madirekṣaṇā (the wine-eyed woman/enchanted figure)
• Māyā (illusion)

FAQs

What is the significance of māyā (illusion) in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

The verse shows māyā as a force that can project an attractive, seemingly auspicious form, drawing a being into delusion through pleasure and attachment.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the danger of sense-enjoyment here?

By placing the event explicitly “in pleasures such as sport and enjoyment,” the narration links indulgence with vulnerability—where the mind becomes easy to captivate by deceptive appearances.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context, even though he is not named in the verse?

In the Vishnu Purana’s worldview, māyā and the moral unfolding of events operate within the supreme order upheld by Vishnu, reinforcing that worldly allure is not ultimate reality but a dependent, governed power.