Shloka 32

Devanagari script

एवम् अत्यन्तवैशिष्ट्ययुक्तधर्मोपलक्षणः यस्य योगः स वै योगी मुमुक्षुर् अभिधीयते

Transliteration

evam atyantavaiśiṣṭyayuktadharmopalakṣaṇaḥ yasya yogaḥ sa vai yogī mumukṣur abhidhīyate

Translation

Thus, one whose yoga is marked by dharma, endowed with the most excellent distinguishing signs, is indeed called a yogin—a true mumukṣu, intent on liberation.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• अत्यन्तवैशिष्ट्ययुक्तधर्मोपलक्षणः: characterized by a dharma endowed with extreme distinctiveness
• अत्यन्तवैशिष्ट्ययुक्तधर्मोपलक्षणः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्यन्त (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + वैशिष्ट्य (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + उपलक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—अत्यन्त-वैशिष्ट्य-युक्त-धर्म-उपलक्षणः (यस्य धर्मः अत्यन्तवैशिष्ट्ययुक्तः स उपलक्षणं यस्य)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• योगः: yoga
• योगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• योगी: a yogin
• योगी: Pratijñā/Predicate nominative (सम्बोधन-निरूपण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुमुक्षुः: one who seeks liberation
• मुमुक्षुः: Pratijñā/Predicate nominative (सम्बोधन-निरूपण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुमुक्षु (प्रातिपदिक; desiderative from √मुच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इच्छार्थक-नाम (one desiring liberation)

• अभिधीयते: is called
• अभिधीयते: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (धातु) उपसर्गः अभि; अभि+धा (कर्मणि)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Marks of the true yogin and the mumukṣu (liberation-seeker)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A genuine yogin is recognized by dharma as his defining mark, and such a person is properly called a mumukṣu, intent on liberation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Let ethical restraints (truthfulness, non-harm, self-control) be the non-negotiable foundation of meditation practice, so liberation-aspiration is not merely theoretical.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma qualifies and stabilizes the aspirant’s relation to Brahman—liberation is pursued through a value-laden, personal discipline rather than an abstract negation.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Mumukshu
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the significance of dharma-marked yoga in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse defines true yoga as that which bears the clear marks of dharma; spiritual practice is validated not by display but by ethical excellence and disciplined conduct oriented toward liberation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain who is a mumukṣu?

Parāśara states that the one whose yoga is distinguished by superior dharmic qualities is rightly called a yogin and a mumukṣu—someone genuinely intent on mokṣa rather than mere worldly attainments.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in this line, the Purana’s framework places mokṣa-oriented, dharma-grounded yoga as ultimately leading to the Supreme Reality (Vishnu), aligning spiritual discipline with divine sovereignty and cosmic order.