Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

आकाशवाय्वग्निजलपृथिवीभ्यः पृथक् स्थिते आत्मन्य् आत्ममयं भावं कः करोति कलेवरे

Transliteration

ākāśavāyvagnijalapṛthivībhyaḥ pṛthak sthite ātmany ātmamayaṃ bhāvaṃ kaḥ karoti kalevare

Translation

When the Self stands apart, distinct from ether, wind, fire, water, and earth, who within this body can truly fashion the sense “I am this,” the identification with the corporeal frame?

Word by Word

• आकाशवाय्वग्निजलपृथिवीभ्यः: from ether, air, fire, water, and earth
• आकाशवाय्वग्निजलपृथिवीभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक) + वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + जल (प्रातिपदिक) + पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (पृथिवी-प्रधान), पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास; अपादान (ablative: from)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: separately)

• स्थिते: situated (as separate)
• स्थिते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषण (आत्मनि)

• आत्मनि: in the self
• आत्मनि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• आत्ममयम्: consisting of the self
• आत्ममयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + मयट्-प्रत्यय (मय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुष/उपपद (आत्मना मयम् = made of self)

• भावम्: state, notion
• भावम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• करोति: makes, does
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• कलेवरे: in the body
• कलेवरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलेवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Distinction of ātman from pañca-bhūtas and the irrationality of body-identification

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: probing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Since the Self is distinct from the five gross elements, the body cannot genuinely be the locus of ‘I’-ness; identification is therefore a constructed error.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Contemplate the body as composed of elements (earth-water-fire-air-ether) and rest identity in the witnessing consciousness that observes bodily change.

Vishishtadvaita: Difference-in-identity: the jīva is not reducible to matter (acit) yet is inseparably related as the Lord’s attribute; thus bodily ‘I’ is a category mistake.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Atman (Self)
• Pancha Mahabhutas (five great elements)

FAQs

What is the significance of the five elements (pañca-mahābhūta) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse uses the five elements to define the body as material and composite, contrasting it with the Self that is separate and not reducible to elemental substance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain body-identification in this context?

He challenges the assumption that the true Self is the body, implying that the “I am the body” notion is a constructed identification arising despite the Self being distinct from elemental matter.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

By pointing to a Self beyond the elements, the teaching aligns with Vishnu Purana’s view that ultimate reality (ground of order and consciousness) transcends material constituents—supporting a Vaishnava metaphysics where the Supreme (Vishnu) is foundational to both cosmos and inner awareness.