Shloka 12

स्वाध्याय-योगोपदेशः तथा केशिध्वज-खाण्डिक्य-उपाख्यानम्

Yoga through Study and Restraint; The Keśidhvaja–Khāṇḍikya Narrative Frame

Devanagari script

इयाज सो ऽपि सुबहून् यज्ञाञ् \ज्ञानव्यपाश्रयः ब्रह्मविद्याम् अधिष्ठाय तर्तुं मृत्युम् अविद्यया

Transliteration

iyāja so 'pi subahūn yajñāñ \jñānavyapāśrayaḥ brahmavidyām adhiṣṭhāya tartuṃ mṛtyum avidyayā

Translation

He too performed many sacrifices; yet, taking refuge in true knowledge and grounded in Brahma-vidyā, he sought to cross beyond death—for death is born of ignorance.

Word by Word

• इयाज: sacrificed, performed worship
• इयाज: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also)

• सुबहून्: very many
• सुबहून्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifies यज्ञान्); "very many"

• यज्ञान्: sacrifices
• यज्ञान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• ज्ञानव्यपाश्रयः: one who relies on knowledge
• ज्ञानव्यपाश्रयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + व्यपाश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies सः); ज्ञाने व्यपाश्रयः इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (one who resorts to knowledge)

• ब्रह्मविद्याम्: knowledge of Brahman
• ब्रह्मविद्याम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ब्रह्मणो विद्या इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• अधिष्ठाय: having taken refuge in, having based on
• अधिष्ठाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); "having resorted to / having established upon"

• तर्तुम्: to cross over
• तर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive); "to cross/overcome"

• मृत्युम्: death
• मृत्युम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अविद्यया: by ignorance
• अविद्यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental: "by/through ignorance"

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How brahma-vidyā, beyond mere ritual, enables crossing beyond death; ignorance as the root of mortality.

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even while performing many yajñas, one must take refuge in brahma-vidyā, for death is born of avidyā and is crossed only by true knowledge.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Pair outer practice (duty/ritual) with inner discipline: study, meditation, and discernment to uproot ignorance and fear of death.

Vishishtadvaita: Brahma-vidyā is knowledge of the Supreme Person as the inner Self; liberation is attained by His grace through right knowledge supported by disciplined action.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Brahma-vidyā
• Yajña (Vedic sacrifice)
• Avidyā (ignorance)
• Mṛtyu (death)

FAQs

What is the significance of Brahma-vidyā in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Brahma-vidyā as the decisive means to transcend death, implying that liberation arises from realization of the Supreme, not merely from accumulating ritual merit.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between yajña and jñāna here?

Parāśara acknowledges the performance of many sacrifices, but emphasizes that refuge in knowledge—being established in Brahma-vidyā—is what enables one to cross beyond death.

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

Within Ansha 6’s moksha-focused teaching, Brahma-vidyā ultimately points to realizing Vishnu as the Supreme Reality; ignorance veils that reality and thus sustains mortality and samsara.