Shloka 24

Devanagari script

एवं पशुसमैर् मूढैर् अज्ञानप्रभवं महत् अवाप्यते नरैर् दुःखं शिश्नोदरपरायणैः

Transliteration

evaṃ paśusamair mūḍhair ajñānaprabhavaṃ mahat avāpyate narair duḥkhaṃ śiśnodaraparāyaṇaiḥ

Translation

Thus, by men who are deluded—becoming like beasts, and devoted only to the urges of the genitals and the belly—great suffering is incurred, born from ignorance itself.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• पशु-समैः: by those equal to beasts
• पशु-समैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पशुभिः समाः = पशुसमाः)

• मूढैः: by the deluded
• मूढैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• अज्ञान-प्रभवम्: arising from ignorance
• अज्ञान-प्रभवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अज्ञानात् प्रभवः यस्य)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अवाप्यते: is obtained, is met with
• अवाप्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• दुःखम्: suffering
• दुःखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• शिश्न-उदर-परायणैः: by those devoted to sex and belly
• शिश्न-उदर-परायणैः: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिश्न (प्रातिपदिक) + उदर (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (शिश्नं च उदरं च) + तत्पुरुष (तयोः परायणः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Consequences of tamasic delusion and sense-indulgence

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When humans live like beasts—enslaved to sex and appetite—ignorance ripens into great suffering.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Cultivate restraint (indriya-nigraha), simplify consumption, and redirect desire into sādhana and service.

Vishishtadvaita: Vairāgya is not world-hatred but re-ordering desires toward the Lord; bodily drives are to be governed as instruments for dharmic life and bhakti.

FAQs

What is the significance of ignorance (ajñāna) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse identifies ajñāna as the direct source of “great suffering,” showing that misery is not accidental but produced by deluded living and misdirected priorities.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the cause of human downfall here?

Parāśara frames downfall as a descent into beast-like existence—when a person becomes absorbed in bodily urges (sex and food), wisdom is eclipsed and suffering naturally follows.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching supports Vaishnava dharma: aligning life with higher order and devotion (rather than impulse) is the path that leads toward Vishnu-realization and freedom from suffering.