Shloka 53

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

Devanagari script

प्रत्यस्तमितभेदं यत् सत्तामात्रम् अगोचरम् वचसाम् आत्मसंवेद्यं तज् ज्ञानं ब्रह्मसंज्ञितम्

Transliteration

pratyastamitabhedaṃ yat sattāmātram agocaram vacasām ātmasaṃvedyaṃ taj jñānaṃ brahmasaṃjñitam

Translation

That knowledge in which all distinctions have subsided—pure Being alone, beyond the reach of words, directly realized within the Self—this is what is designated as Brahman.

Word by Word

• प्रत्यस्तमितभेदम्: in which distinctions have subsided
• प्रत्यस्तमितभेदम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति + अस्तमित + भेद (कृदन्त; √अस्/√स्था? ‘अस्तम्-इ’ √इ) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘भेदः प्रत्यस्तमितः यस्मिन्’ इत्यर्थे समासः; ‘यत्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• सत्तामात्रम्: mere existence alone
• सत्तामात्रम्: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्ता + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘सत्तायाः मात्रम्’

• अगोचरम्: beyond reach (of senses/speech)
• अगोचरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्ययार्थ (not within range)

• वचसाम्: of words/speech
• वचसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• आत्मसंवेद्यम्: to be realized by the self alone
• आत्मसंवेद्यम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् + संवेद्य (कृदन्त; √विद् with सम्-; gerundive)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘आत्मना संवेद्यम्’ (to be known by oneself)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshya (Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (IAST taj = तत्)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मसंज्ञितम्: called ‘Brahman’
• ब्रह्मसंज्ञितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + संज्ञित (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा with सम्; past participle)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्म इति संज्ञितम्’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Definition of Brahman-knowledge as the subsiding of distinctions and direct self-realization

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brahman is that self-knowledge where all distinctions have set, leaving pure Being—ineffable in speech yet directly intuited within the Self.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Practice inward turning (pratyāhāra), reduce conceptual proliferation, and stabilize attention in the witnessing awareness until the sense of ‘difference’ quiets.

Vishishtadvaita: The ineffable Brahman is realized as the inner self-luminous reality, preparing the ground for recognizing that this Brahman is Viṣṇu, the Supreme Self.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Brahman

FAQs

What is the significance of Brahman being described as beyond speech in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that Brahman is agocara—outside the reach of words and ordinary cognition—so it must be known through direct inner realization rather than description.

How does Sage Parāśara explain true knowledge (jñāna) here?

He defines true knowledge as that in which all perceived differences subside, leaving only pure existence, directly experienced by the Self (ātmasaṃvedya).

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

In the Vishnu Purana’s Vedantic frame, Brahman ultimately aligns with the Supreme Reality identified with Vishnu—transcending speech and difference while being the basis of all being.