Shloka 43

नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्

Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman

Devanagari script

ज्ञानात्मा ज्ञानयोगेन ज्ञानमूर्तिः स चेज्यते निवृत्ते योगिभिर् मार्गे विष्णुर् मुक्तिफलप्रदः

Transliteration

jñānātmā jñānayogena jñānamūrtiḥ sa cejyate nivṛtte yogibhir mārge viṣṇur muktiphalapradaḥ

Translation

Viṣṇu is the very Self of pure knowledge; His worship is the yoga of knowledge, and His form is knowledge itself. Yogins on the path of nivṛtti adore Him, for He alone bestows the fruit of liberation.

Word by Word

• ज्ञानात्मा: whose essence is knowledge
• ज्ञानात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ज्ञानस्य आत्मा)

• ज्ञानयोगेन: by the yoga of knowledge
• ज्ञानयोगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ज्ञानस्य योगः)

• ज्ञानमूर्तिः: the embodiment/form of knowledge
• ज्ञानमूर्तिः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ज्ञानस्य मूर्तिः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• इज्यते: is worshipped
• इज्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• निवृत्ते: in the withdrawn/renunciatory (path)
• निवृत्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निवृत्त (कृदन्त; √वृत्/√वृत्त् + नि-; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; मार्गे इति विशेषण; क्त-प्रत्यय

• योगिभिः: by yogins
• योगिभिः: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• मार्गे: in the path
• मार्गे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• मुक्तिफलप्रदः: giver of the fruit of liberation
• मुक्तिफलप्रदः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति + फल + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मुक्तेः फलम्) + तत्पुरुष (तत् प्रदः = giver)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Renunciant (nivṛtti) worship as jñāna-yoga oriented to Viṣṇu who grants mokṣa

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: On the path of nivṛtti, yogins worship Viṣṇu as jñānātmā and jñānamūrti, and He alone grants the fruit of liberation.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Cultivate steady contemplation (viveka, vairāgya) while directing knowledge toward the personal Absolute—seeking mokṣa as His grace-fruit, not mere self-effort.

Vishishtadvaita: Mokṣa is ‘phala’ bestowed by Viṣṇu: liberation is not impersonal absorption but the Lord-given result of knowledge culminating in surrender/adoration.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Jñāna-yoga in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse defines Jñāna-yoga not merely as study but as worship itself—knowing Vishnu as knowledge-essence and knowledge-form becomes the yogin’s mode of devotion.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the path of renunciation (nivṛtti-mārga) here?

Parāśara presents nivṛtti as the yogins’ inward path where the Lord is approached through detachment and direct insight, culminating in liberation granted by Vishnu.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as the supreme ground of knowledge and the giver of moksha—liberation is not an impersonal outcome but a fruit bestowed by the sovereign Lord.