Shloka 14

Devanagari script

कलेवरोपभोग्यं हि गृहक्षेत्रादिकं च कः अदेहे ह्य् आत्मनि प्राज्ञो ममेदम् इति मन्यते

Transliteration

kalevaropabhogyaṃ hi gṛhakṣetrādikaṃ ca kaḥ adehe hy ātmani prājño mamedam iti manyate

Translation

House, field, and such possessions are only things to be enjoyed by the body; who, being truly wise, would think of the bodiless Self, “This is mine”?

Word by Word

• कलेवरोपभोग्यम्: enjoyable by the body
• कलेवरोपभोग्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कलेवर (प्रातिपदिक) + उपभोग्य (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-योग्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुष (कलेवरेण उपभोग्यम् = enjoyable/usable by the body)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• गृहक्षेत्रादिकम्: house, land, and the like
• गृहक्षेत्रादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (गृहं च क्षेत्रं च आदि यस्य तत्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: and)

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

• अदेहे: in the bodiless (state)
• अदेहे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the bodiless)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed)

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

• प्राज्ञः: a wise person
• प्राज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृपद

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive: of me)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; उद्धृत-वाक्यांश

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणार्थक-अव्यय (quotative)

• मन्यते: thinks, considers
• मन्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Why ownership (‘mamedam’) is irrational for the bodiless Self

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Since possessions like house and land are merely objects of bodily enjoyment, the wise do not attribute ‘mine’ to the bodiless Self.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Hold property, status, and tools as stewardship rather than identity; reduce possessiveness through dana (giving) and simplicity.

Vishishtadvaita: Detachment is not negation of the world but reorientation: all ‘mine’ is truly the Lord’s, and the jīva enjoys/uses only as entrusted service (kainkarya).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Atman (Self)

FAQs

What is the significance of detachment from property in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames property (house, land, etc.) as body-related enjoyment, urging the seeker to drop the sense of “mine” because the true Self is bodiless and cannot be an owner in a material sense.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the difference between the body and the Self here?

He implies that possessions belong to the sphere of the body’s experience, whereas the ātman is “adeha” (bodiless); wisdom lies in not transferring bodily claims onto the Self.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

By distinguishing the imperishable Self from perishable attachments, the teaching supports a Vishnu-centered liberation ethic: the soul turns from “mine-ness” toward the Supreme Reality who sustains cosmic order and grants release.