Shloka 58

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

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

Devanagari script

तद् अस्य त्रिविधस्यापि दुःखजातस्य पण्डितैः गर्भजन्मजराद्येषु स्थानेषु प्रभविष्यतः

Transliteration

tad asya trividhasyāpi duḥkhajātasya paṇḍitaiḥ garbhajanmajarādyeṣu sthāneṣu prabhaviṣyataḥ

Translation

Therefore, the wise declare that this entire threefold mass of suffering arises for the embodied being in such stations as conception in the womb, birth, old age, and the rest—those inevitable phases through which worldly existence unfolds.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• त्रिविधस्य: threefold
• त्रिविधस्य: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘दुःखजातस्य’ विशेषण

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

• दुःखजातस्य: of the mass/aggregate of suffering
• दुःखजातस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख+जात (प्रातिपदिक; जात = √जन् क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कर्मधारय/निर्देश: ‘दुःखं जातम्’), पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पण्डितैः: by the wise
• पण्डितैः: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• गर्भ: womb
• गर्भ: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• जरा: old age
• जरा: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• आद्येषु: etc.; and so on
• आद्येषु: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; ‘स्थानेषु’ विशेषण; समासोत्तरपद

• गर्भजन्मजराद्येषु: in (states such as) womb, birth, old age, etc.
• गर्भजन्मजराद्येषु: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ+जन्म+जरा+आदि (प्रातिपदिकसमूह)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (समाहार/collection), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• स्थानेषु: in places/states
• स्थानेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• प्रभविष्यतः: will arise/originate
• प्रभविष्यतः: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Origin and loci of suffering in embodied existence

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The wise locate the rise of the threefold suffering in embodied stages such as conception, birth, and old age.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Use contemplation on embodiment’s inevitabilities to strengthen dispassion and prioritize liberating practice.

Vishishtadvaita: Embodiment and its sufferings mark jīva’s dependence; release is attained not by denying the world but by right relation to the Lord who governs karma.

FAQs

What is the significance of the threefold suffering in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames suffering as a structured, threefold condition that manifests throughout embodied life—especially in key transitions like gestation, birth, and aging—highlighting why liberation-oriented dharma is necessary.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the origins of suffering here?

Parāśara points to concrete “stations” of embodied existence—womb, birth, old age, and similar phases—as the recurring grounds where the aggregate of misery inevitably arises for the jīva in saṃsāra.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

By emphasizing the inescapability of saṃsāric suffering, the teaching implicitly directs the seeker toward Vishnu as the supreme refuge and highest reality, beyond the cycle that produces these afflictions.