Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

योगयुक् प्रथमं योगी युञ्जमानो ऽभिधीयते विनिष्पन्नसमाधिस् तु परब्रह्मोपलब्धिमान्

Transliteration

yogayuk prathamaṃ yogī yuñjamāno 'bhidhīyate viniṣpannasamādhis tu parabrahmopalabdhimān

Translation

At first, the yogin is called “yoga-yukta” while he is still applying himself, striving to yoke the mind to discipline. But when his samādhi fully matures and is perfected, he attains direct realization of the Supreme Brahman.

Word by Word

• योगयुक्: yoga-endowed / engaged in yoga
• योगयुक्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + युज् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √युज्, क्तिन्/क्विप्-प्रत्ययान्त ‘युक्’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—योगेन युक् (योगयुक्तः)

• प्रथमम्: at first
• प्रथमम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणवत्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (adverbial accusative: ‘at first’)

• योगी: the yogin
• योगी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• युञ्जमानः: practising, engaging (in yoga)
• युञ्जमानः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √युज् (धातु) ; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (परस्मैपदी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle)

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

• विनिष्पन्नसमाधिः: one whose samādhi is fully accomplished
• विनिष्पन्नसमाधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनिष्पन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि+निस्+√पद्/√पन्, क्त) + समाधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—विनिष्पन्नः समाधिः यस्य (समाधि-विनिष्पन्नः)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विभेदार्थक-अव्यय (contrastive particle)

• परब्रह्मोपलब्धिमान्: possessing realization of the Supreme Brahman
• परब्रह्मोपलब्धिमान्: Pratijñā/Predicate nominative (सम्बोधन-निरूपण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + उपलब्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त ‘-मान्’
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—परब्रह्मणः उपलब्धिः यस्य सः (परब्रह्म-उपलब्धि-मान्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Stages of yogic progress: practice (yuñjamāna) versus perfected samādhi and realization

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Yoga has discernible stages: the beginner actively yokes the mind, while the perfected yogin in mature samādhi directly realizes the Supreme Brahman.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Treat meditation as a staged path—measure progress by increased steadiness and clarity, not by occasional experiences; keep consistent practice until absorption stabilizes.

Vishishtadvaita: Realization is of ‘Para-brahman’ as the Supreme Person apprehended in samādhi, aligning with Viśiṣṭādvaita’s emphasis on direct God-realization rather than mere impersonal abstraction.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Supreme Brahman (Para Brahman)
• Yogin (yogī)

FAQs

What is the significance of perfected samādhi in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse defines perfected samādhi as the point where yoga is no longer mere practice but becomes direct realization of the Supreme Brahman—marking the threshold of liberation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the difference between a beginner yogin and an accomplished one?

Parāśara distinguishes the yogin “still yoking” the mind (yogayukta, engaged in practice) from the yogin whose absorption is fully accomplished (viniṣpanna-samādhi), who thereby attains realization of Para Brahman.

What is the theological importance of the Supreme Brahman in this context?

The verse places realization of Para Brahman as the supreme fruit of yoga; in Vaishnava reading, this highest reality is aligned with the ultimate sovereignty of the Divine (Vishnu as the supreme principle).