Shloka 52

Devanagari script

जातमात्रश् च म्रियते बालभावे ऽथ यौवने मध्यमं वा वयः प्राप्य वार्द्धके वा ध्रुवा मृतिः

Transliteration

jātamātraś ca mriyate bālabhāve 'tha yauvane madhyamaṃ vā vayaḥ prāpya vārddhake vā dhruvā mṛtiḥ

Translation

Some perish the very moment they are born; others depart in childhood, or in youth; some, having reached the middle span of life, fall away; and some meet their end in old age. In every case, death is certain.

Word by Word

• जातमात्रः: just-born
• जातमात्रः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (जन् धातु; क्त कृदन्त) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (जातस्य मात्रम् = just born); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (and)

• म्रियते: dies
• म्रियते: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• बालभावे: in childhood
• बालभावे: Adhikaraṇa (Time/State)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (बालस्य भावः = childhood); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक/प्रसङ्गार्थक निपात (then/now)

• यौवने: in youth
• यौवने: Adhikaraṇa (Time/State)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मध्यमम्: middle
• मध्यमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; वयः इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (qualifier of age)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (or)

• वयः: age
• वयः: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having attained
• प्राप्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): having attained

• वार्द्धके: in old age
• वार्द्धके: Adhikaraṇa (Time/State)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्द्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• ध्रुवा: certain
• ध्रुवा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; मृतिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मृतिः: death
• मृतिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Certainty of death across all life stages; impetus for urgency in dharma and mokṣa-sādhana.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Death can strike at any moment—birth, childhood, youth, midlife, or old age—therefore one should not postpone the pursuit of the highest good.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Live with urgency: keep daily japa, remembrance of Hari, and dharmic conduct, without assuming a guaranteed future.

Vishishtadvaita: Because the jīva’s dependence (śeṣatva) on the Lord is constant while lifespan is uncertain, surrender and bhakti should be immediate rather than deferred.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Time (Kāla)
• Death (Mṛtyu)

FAQs

What is the significance of Kāla (Time) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames time as an unerring law that governs embodied life—death can arrive at any stage, demonstrating the absolute certainty of Kāla’s rule over worldly existence.

How does Sage Parāśara explain impermanence in this passage?

By listing birth, childhood, youth, middle age, and old age as possible points of death, Parāśara teaches Maitreya that no human condition guarantees security, urging detachment and higher pursuit.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

While Vishnu is not named in this verse, the teaching supports a core Purāṇic conclusion: what is conditioned by time perishes, so one should seek the timeless Supreme Reality (Vishnu) beyond decay and death.