Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

कथ्यतां मे महाभाग चेतसो यः शुभाश्रयः यदाधारम् अशेषं तद् धन्ति दोषसमुद्भवम्

Transliteration

kathyatāṃ me mahābhāga cetaso yaḥ śubhāśrayaḥ yadādhāram aśeṣaṃ tad dhanti doṣasamudbhavam

Translation

Tell me, O greatly blessed one: what is that auspicious refuge of the mind, upon which—when the whole being is firmly established—the arising of faults and impurities is struck down?

Word by Word

• कथ्यताम्: let it be told
• कथ्यताम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लकारः—लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), पुरुषः—प्रथम (3rd), वचनम्—एकवचन (Singular), प्रयोगः—कर्मणि (Passive); धातोः—कथ्, धात्वर्थः—वदने/कथने

• मे: to me / of me
• मे: Sampradana/Adhikara (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन; अर्थः—मम (of me)

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक: महा + भाग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative) एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान् भागः यस्य/महाभागः)

• चेतसः: of the mind
• चेतसः: Sampradana/Adhikara (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन; अर्थः—मनसः (of the mind)

• यः: which / who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचन; सम्बन्धः—यः ... सः (relative)

• शुभाश्रयः: auspicious support/refuge
• शुभाश्रयः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शुभस्य आश्रयः)

• यदाधारम्: having that as its basis
• यदाधारम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् + आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd) एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (यस्य आधारः/यदाधारम् = whose basis); अत्र विशेषणरूपेण

• अशेषम्: entire, without remainder
• अशेषम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd) एकवचन; अर्थः—समस्तम् (entire)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd) एकवचन; निर्देशः—तद् (that)

• हन्ति: destroys
• हन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लकारः—लट् (Present/वर्तमान), पुरुषः—प्रथम (3rd), वचनम्—एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्; धातुः—हन् (to strike/destroy)

• दोषसमुद्भवम्: the arising of faults
• दोषसमुद्भवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष + समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दोषाणां समुद्भवः = arising of faults)

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: What is the auspicious mental refuge (śubhāśraya) on which, when one is firmly established, faults (doṣa) are destroyed?

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: inquisitive, seeking liberating clarity

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Establishing the whole being upon an auspicious inner support of consciousness eliminates the arising of mental faults and impurities.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Adopt a daily contemplative anchor (e.g., Brahman/Vishnu remembrance) and repeatedly return the mind to it when defects arise.

Vishishtadvaita: Liberation is pursued through steady dependence on the supreme refuge that supports the self and purifies the mind.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Sage Parāśara

FAQs

What is the significance of an “auspicious refuge of the mind” in the Vishnu Purana?

It points to the need for the mind to rest on a supreme, auspicious foundation—classically understood as Vishnu—so that inner defects (doṣas) do not arise and spiritual clarity is established.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the removal of doṣa in this teaching context?

The verse frames Maitreya’s request: Parāśara’s answer (in the surrounding passage) characteristically presents Vishnu as the sustaining support (ādhāra) whose remembrance/devotion stabilizes the mind and destroys the causes of impurity.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is implied as the supreme reality and ultimate support of all—when consciousness is grounded in Him, the emergence of spiritual faults is overcome, aligning with Vaishnava purification through refuge (śaraṇāgati/bhakti).