Shloka 30

Devanagari script

आत्मभावं नयत्य् एनं तद् ब्रह्मध्यायिनं मुने विकार्यम् आत्मनः शक्त्या लोहम् आकर्षको यथा

Transliteration

ātmabhāvaṃ nayaty enaṃ tad brahmadhyāyinaṃ mune vikāryam ātmanaḥ śaktyā loham ākarṣako yathā

Translation

O sage, that Supreme Brahman draws the meditator upon Brahman into Its own state of being—transforming him by Its power—just as a magnet draws iron to itself.

Word by Word

• आत्मभावम्: the state of Selfhood
• आत्मभावम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मभाव (प्रातिपदिक: आत्मन् + भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• नयति: leads
• नयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• एनम्: him/this one
• एनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अत्र विशेषण-प्रयोगः (ब्रह्मध्यायिनम् इत्यस्य)

• ब्रह्मध्यायिनम्: the meditator on Brahman
• ब्रह्मध्यायिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मध्यायिन् (प्रातिपदिक: ब्रह्मन् + ध्यायिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• विकार्यम्: that which can be acted upon/affected
• विकार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकार्य (प्रातिपदिक: वि + कार्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (लोहम् इत्यस्य)

• आत्मनः: of itself/of the self
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• शक्त्या: by (its) power
• शक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), एकवचनम्

• लोहम्: iron
• लोहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• आकर्षकः: a magnet/attractor
• आकर्षकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकर्षक (प्रातिपदिक: आ + कर्षक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamana (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्ययम् (comparative particle: ‘as/just as’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Brahman, by Its own power, draws the brahma-meditator into Its state—transforming him—like a magnet draws iron.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Pair disciplined meditation with surrender: persist in contemplation while recognizing the Lord’s ‘drawing’ grace as decisive for inner transformation.

Vishishtadvaita: Liberation is effected by the Supreme’s śakti drawing the jīva to participation in divine being—supporting the Viśiṣṭādvaita emphasis on God’s initiative/grace and the real transformation of the soul’s condition.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Brahman

FAQs

What is the significance of the magnet-and-iron analogy in the Vishnu Purana?

It illustrates how the Supreme Reality draws the focused meditator toward Itself and effects inner transformation, emphasizing divine power as the decisive force in liberation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the process of spiritual assimilation here?

He presents it as Brahman leading the brahma-dhyāyin into “ātma-bhāva” (the Supreme’s own state), implying a grace-infused movement where the meditator is made fit and drawn inwardly to the Supreme.

What is the theological importance of the Supreme (Vishnu as Brahman) in this context?

The verse portrays the Supreme as sovereign and active in moksha—Brahman is not merely an object of thought but the transformative power that attracts and elevates the soul toward ultimate union/attainment.