Shloka 104

अविद्याबीज-निरूपणं, योगस्वरूप-उपदेशः, मूर्तहरिधारणा-समाधि, जनकवंशीय-राजर्षिसंवादः

Devanagari script

केशिध्वजो ऽपि मुक्त्यर्थं स्वकर्मक्षपणोन्मुखः बुभुजे विषयान् कर्म चक्रे चानभिसंधितम्

Transliteration

keśidhvajo 'pi muktyarthaṃ svakarmakṣapaṇonmukhaḥ bubhuje viṣayān karma cakre cānabhisaṃdhitam

Translation

Even Keśidhvaja, intent on liberation and bent on wearing away his own karma, continued to partake of sense-objects; yet he acted without ulterior aim, without clinging to results.

Word by Word

• केशिध्वजः: Keśidhvaja
• केशिध्वजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशिध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular (proper name)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/समुच्चयार्थ) — particle ‘also/even’

• मुक्त्यर्थम्: for the sake of liberation
• मुक्त्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — masculine accusative singular used adverbially; समासः चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुषः (मुक्त्यै अर्थः)

• स्वकर्मक्षपणोन्मुखः: intent on the exhaustion of his own karma
• स्वकर्मक्षपणोन्मुखः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-कर्म-क्षपण-उन्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — masculine nominative singular; समासः तत्पुरुषः (स्वकर्मणां क्षपणे उन्मुखः)

• बुभुजे: enjoyed/experienced
• बुभुजे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — 3rd person singular perfect

• विषयान्: sense-objects
• विषयान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन — masculine accusative plural

• कर्म: action/deed
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — neuter accusative singular

• चक्रे: performed/did
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद — 3rd person singular perfect (middle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) — conjunction ‘and’

• अनभिसंधितम्: unintended; without ulterior motive
• अनभिसंधितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन-अभि-संधित (प्रातिपदिक; √धा/√धा? here √धा with सम्+धा ‘to intend/aim’ → संधि/संधित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — neuter accusative singular; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle) with negation अन-

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How liberation can be sought through action that burns karma without attachment, even amid sensory experience.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: One may continue to engage sense-objects yet act without ulterior intention, so that accumulated karma is worn away and liberation becomes possible.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Perform duties (work, family care) with integrity while relinquishing anxiety over results; regularly review motives to keep actions ‘anabhisaṃdhita’.

Vishishtadvaita: Worldly life is not denied; when offered without self-seeking, action becomes a purifying instrument under the Lord’s order, consistent with Vishishtadvaita’s affirmation of the real world as God’s body.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Niṣkāma-karma (desireless action)

Key Kings: Keśidhvaja

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Keśidhvaja
• Kings

FAQs

What is the significance of desireless action in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

It presents niṣkāma karma: one may engage with worldly duties and even sense-objects, yet by abandoning attachment to results, actions cease to bind and instead help exhaust prior karma on the way to liberation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the path to moksha through karma here?

Parāśara frames liberation as karmakṣaya (wearing away of accumulated deeds): actions done without ulterior intention (anabhisaṃdhita) do not generate fresh bondage and support the dissolution of past karmic residues.

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

Within the Vishnu Purana’s Vaishnava framework, moksha ultimately culminates in the Supreme Reality (Vishnu); disciplined, unattached action is portrayed as a practical means that purifies the seeker for that highest realization.