Shloka 68

Devanagari script

तद् ब्रह्म तत् परं धाम तद् ध्येयं मोक्षकाङ्क्स्।इणाम् श्रुतिवाक्योदितं सूक्ष्मं तद् विष्णोः परमं पदम्

Transliteration

tad brahma tat paraṃ dhāma tad dhyeyaṃ mokṣakāṅks.iṇām śrutivākyoditaṃ sūkṣmaṃ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam

Translation

That is Brahman; that is the supreme abode. That alone is the object of contemplation for those who long for liberation—subtle, proclaimed by the utterances of the Śruti. That is the highest station of Lord Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Pratijna/Predicate nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (elliptic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (to धाम)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• धाम: abode, splendor
• धाम: Pratijna/Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (elliptic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ध्येयम्: to be meditated upon
• ध्येयम्: Pratijna/Predicate adjective
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्येय (प्रातिपदिक; √ध्यै (धातु) + ण्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कृदन्त (ण्यत्), ‘to be meditated upon’

• मोक्षकाङ्क्षिणाम्: of those who desire liberation
• मोक्षकाङ्क्षिणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + काङ्क्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √काङ्क्ष् (धातु) + इन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मोक्षं काङ्क्षन्ति ये = ‘desirers of liberation’)

• श्रुतिवाक्योदितम्: declared in Vedic statements
• श्रुतिवाक्योदितम्: Visheshana (to तत्/ध्येयम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + उदित (कृदन्त; √उद्/√वद्? here √उद् ‘to arise/appear’ + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (श्रुतिवाक्यैः उदितम् = ‘stated in the sentences of the Veda’), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• सूक्ष्मम्: subtle
• सूक्ष्मम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (elliptic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (to पदम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पदम्: state, abode, position
• पदम्: Pratijna/Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: What is the supreme object of meditation for liberation and how Śruti designates Viṣṇu’s highest abode.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brahman is the supreme abode—Viṣṇu’s highest station—known through Śruti and to be meditated upon by seekers of mokṣa.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Adopt a steady contemplative practice (dhyāna) grounded in śāstra: daily recitation of Upaniṣadic mahāvākyas and remembrance of Viṣṇu as the final goal.

Vishishtadvaita: Equates Brahman with Viṣṇu’s parama-pada, supporting personal theism: the Absolute is not impersonal void but the Lord’s supreme abode accessible through devotion and knowledge.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahman
• Shruti (Veda)

FAQs

What is the significance of “paramaṃ padam” (the highest abode) in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse it denotes the ultimate, transcendent goal taught by the Vedas—Viṣṇu’s supreme state—attained by seekers of mokṣa through contemplation of the Supreme Reality.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the means to liberation here?

He identifies the liberating focus as “that” subtle Reality proclaimed by Śruti, indicating that mokṣa-oriented meditation is grounded in Vedic revelation and culminates in Viṣṇu’s supreme abode.

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

Viṣṇu is presented not merely as a deity among others but as Brahman itself and the final destination—aligning the Purana’s narrative world with a Vedantic claim of Viṣṇu’s supreme sovereignty.