Shloka 27

कलौ धर्मसुलभता — व्यासोपाख्यानम् एवं संकीर्तन-प्रधानता

Devanagari script

एभिर् अन्यैस् तथा क्लेशैः पुरुषो द्विजसत्तमाः निजाञ् जयति वै लोकान् प्राजापत्यादिकान् क्रमात्

Transliteration

ebhir anyais tathā kleśaiḥ puruṣo dvijasattamāḥ nijāñ jayati vai lokān prājāpatyādikān kramāt

Translation

By these—and by other such disciplines of hardship—, O best of the twice-born, a person truly conquers (attains) the worlds that are rightfully his, progressing in due order from the Prajāpatya realm to higher spheres.

Word by Word

• एभिः: by these
• एभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप

• अन्यैः: other
• अन्यैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; क्लेशैः इति विशेषण

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

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

• पुरुषः: a man
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• द्विजसत्तमाः: O best of twice-born
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Sambodhana/Address (Vocative sense in context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (best among twice-born)

• निजान्: his own
• निजान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; लोकान् इति विशेषण

• जयति: conquers; attains
• जयति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• लोकान्: worlds
• लोकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• प्राजापत्यादिकान्: beginning with the Prajāpatya (worlds)
• प्राजापत्यादिकान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राजापत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क (तद्धित/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; आदि-तत्पुरुष (beginning with Prajāpatya)

• क्रमात्: in sequence; gradually
• क्रमात्: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial ablative: 'in order/successively')

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Result of disciplined hardship: attainment of graded worlds (lokas) such as Prajāpatya and higher

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Through prescribed austerities and disciplines, one attains in orderly progression the merit-born realms beginning with Prajāpatya and ascending higher.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Undertake sustainable disciplines (vows, regulated giving, truthful living) with clear intention, recognizing that actions yield structured consequences.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms karmic order within the Lord’s governance; higher attainments remain within saṃsāra unless oriented toward the Supreme for final mokṣa.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Dvija (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the significance of conquering the Prajāpatya and higher worlds in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames higher realms as attainments reached in an ordered progression through disciplined austerity, reflecting a moral-cosmic hierarchy where merit and restraint yield elevated states of existence.

How does Sage Parāśara explain spiritual progress through ‘kleśa’ (hardship)?

Parāśara presents kleśa as purposeful ascetic discipline—voluntarily embraced restraints and trials—that refine the seeker and enable sequential attainment of increasingly subtle and exalted lokas.

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

Even when describing ascent through worlds via tapas, the Vishnu Purana’s broader theology situates all realms and their attainments within Vishnu’s supreme order—worldly and heavenly “victories” remain subordinate to the highest goal of liberation grounded in the Supreme Reality.