Shloka 36

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मचर्यम् अहिंसां च सत्यास्तेयापरिग्रहान् सेवेत योगी निष्कामो योग्यतां स्वमनो नयन्

Transliteration

brahmacaryam ahiṃsāṃ ca satyāsteyāparigrahān seveta yogī niṣkāmo yogyatāṃ svamano nayan

Translation

Let the yogin, free from craving, practice brahmacarya, non-violence, truth, non-stealing, and non-possessiveness; thus guiding his own mind toward fitness for Yoga, he becomes ready for inner union.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: celibacy; brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• अहिंसाम्: non-violence
• अहिंसाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• सत्य: truth
• सत्य: Samasa-member (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• अस्तेय: non-stealing
• अस्तेय: Samasa-member (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• अपरिग्रहान्: (the vows of) truth, non-stealing, and non-possessiveness
• अपरिग्रहान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपरिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक); समासः: सत्य+अस्तेय+अपरिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/इतर-द्वन्द्व (यमानां समुच्चयः)

• सेवेत: should practice/observe
• सेवेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• निष्कामः: desireless
• निष्कामः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (योगिनः)

• योग्यताम्: fitness/qualification
• योग्यताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वमनः: one's own mind
• स्वमनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व+मनस् (प्रातिपदिक); समासः: स्व + मनस्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (मनस्-शब्दः)

• नयन्: leading/directing
• नयन्: Karta (Agent-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; योगी-विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Means to liberation at the time of dissolution: disciplines of yoga beginning with yama-niyama

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Desireless practice of yama—brahmacarya, ahiṃsā, satya, asteya, aparigraha—stills the mind and makes it fit for yoga.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt the five restraints as daily vows (speech, consumption, relationships, possessions) and review them each evening to reduce craving-driven habits.

Vishishtadvaita: Ethical self-discipline is presented as a preparatory sādhana that purifies the jīva (Vishnu’s śeṣa) for God-oriented realization rather than autonomous self-deification.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Yogi

FAQs

What is the significance of brahmacarya, ahiṃsā, satya, asteya, and aparigraha in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents core ethical restraints as the yogin’s foundation, making the mind fit for higher practice by removing harm, falsehood, theft, and possessiveness—obstacles to inner steadiness.

How does Sage Parāśara explain readiness for Yoga in this chapter?

Parāśara frames readiness (yogyatā) as a cultivated condition: the practitioner becomes qualified by disciplined conduct and by actively guiding the mind away from desire (niṣkāmatā).

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

Though Vishnu is not named in this single verse, the Purana’s yogic ethics function as preparatory purification so the mind can steadily contemplate the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—as the ultimate refuge and goal.