Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः बन्धस्य विषयासङ्गि मुक्तेर् निर्विषयं तथा

Transliteration

mana eva manuṣyāṇāṃ kāraṇaṃ bandhamokṣayoḥ bandhasya viṣayāsaṅgi mukter nirviṣayaṃ tathā

Translation

Mind alone is the cause, for human beings, of both bondage and liberation. When it clings to objects of sense it becomes the maker of bondage; when it is free from objects, that very mind becomes the means of release.

Word by Word

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• मनुष्याणाम्: of humans
• मनुष्याणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Pradhana (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

• बन्धमोक्षयोः: of bondage and liberation
• बन्धमोक्षयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धमोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक: बन्ध + मोक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्

• बन्धस्य: of bondage
• बन्धस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• विषयासङ्गि: attached to sense-objects
• विषयासङ्गि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषयासङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक: विषय + आसङ्गिन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (मनः इत्यस्य)

• मुक्तेः: of liberation
• मुक्तेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• निर्विषयम्: free from objects (objectless)
• निर्विषयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विषय (प्रातिपदिक: निर् + विषय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (मनः इत्यस्य)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्ययम् (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The same mind becomes bondage when attached to sense-objects and liberation when freed from them.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Notice craving as it arises; practice sense-restraint and redirect attention to a higher object (mantra, dhyāna) to weaken attachment.

Vishishtadvaita: Mind-discipline is a means, yet liberation is oriented toward the Supreme; detachment prepares the jīva (a real mode of Brahman) for God-centered realization.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of the mind (manas) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that the mind itself determines bondage or liberation: attachment to sense-objects binds, while freedom from object-fixation releases.

How does Sage Parāśara explain bondage and liberation here?

Parāśara presents a practical inner psychology: the same instrument—mind—creates samsāra through viṣaya-attachment and becomes the means of mokṣa when made nirviṣaya (non-attached).

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching supports Vaishnava soteriology: purification and steadiness of mind remove bondage and prepare the devotee for realization and devotion directed to the Supreme Reality, Vishnu.