Shloka 50

आत्यन्तिक-लयहेतुः: तापत्रय-विवेचनम् तथा ‘भगवान्/वासुदेव’ शब्दार्थः

Threefold Suffering and the Path to Final Liberation; Meaning of Bhagavān and Vāsudeva

Devanagari script

न केवलं द्विजश्रेष्ठ नरके दुःखपद्धतिः स्वर्गे ऽपि पातभीतस्य क्षयिष्णोर् नास्ति निर्वृतिः

Transliteration

na kevalaṃ dvijaśreṣṭha narake duḥkhapaddhatiḥ svarge 'pi pātabhītasya kṣayiṣṇor nāsti nirvṛtiḥ

Translation

O best of the twice-born, suffering is not found only in hell; even in heaven there is no true peace for one who fears a fall, knowing that his merit is perishable and destined to be exhausted.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय — negation

• केवलम्: only
• केवलम्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्यय — adverbial usage ‘only/merely’

• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — Vocative singular; कर्मधारय (श्रेष्ठः द्विजः)

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Locative singular

• दुःखपद्धतिः: the course/series of suffering
• दुःखपद्धतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख + पद्धति (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दुःखस्य पद्धतिः)

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Locative singular

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय — particle

• पातभीतस्य: of one afraid of falling
• पातभीतस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पात + भीत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive singular; विशेषण (जनस्य); तत्पुरुष (पातात् भीतः)

• क्षयिष्णोः: of one who is perishing/liable to decay
• क्षयिष्णोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षि (धातु) → क्षयिष्णु (कृदन्त, इच्छार्थ/प्रवृत्तिवाचक ‘-इष्णु’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive singular; विशेषण (पातभीतस्य)

• नास्ति: there is not
• नास्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु) + न (निषेध)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — Present, 3rd person singular; negative form

• निर्वृतिः: peace/contentment
• निर्वृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Why even heavenly enjoyment is not ultimate; perishability of merit and fear of fall

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even Svarga offers no true peace because its pleasures depend on exhaustible merit and are shadowed by fear of descent.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Shift life-goals from temporary reward to lasting liberation: practice devotion, ethical living, and inner detachment from outcome-based spirituality.

Vishishtadvaita: By implying the insufficiency of finite karmic rewards, the verse points toward mokṣa as abiding service/communion with the Supreme (Para-Brahman Nārāyaṇa), beyond merit-exhaustion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Svarga (Heaven)
• Naraka (Hell)

FAQs

What is the significance of Svarga being described as unrestful in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse teaches that heaven is a temporary karmic reward; because its fruits are exhaustible, even Svarga carries anxiety and cannot provide lasting fulfillment like moksha.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the problem of karma-based rewards here?

He contrasts Naraka’s overt suffering with Svarga’s subtle suffering: the fear of downfall and the certainty that accumulated merit will diminish, making both states non-final.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

By highlighting the limits of Svarga and Naraka, the Purana points toward Vishnu as the supreme refuge and the goal beyond perishable karmic results—true peace lies in liberation grounded in Him.