Shloka 61

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

Devanagari script

विष्णुशक्तिः परा प्रोक्ता क्षेत्रज्ञाख्या तथापरा अविद्या कर्मसंज्ञान्या तृतीया शक्तिर् इष्यते

Transliteration

viṣṇuśaktiḥ parā proktā kṣetrajñākhyā tathāparā avidyā karmasaṃjñānyā tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate

Translation

The śakti of Viṣṇu is declared supreme; and there is another power called the Kṣetrajña—the indwelling Knower. A third power is acknowledged: avidyā, also named karma, by which bondage and the becoming of saṃsāra are explained.

Word by Word

• विष्णुशक्तिः: Vishnu’s power
• विष्णुशक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः शक्तिः)

• परा: supreme
• परा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विष्णुशक्तेः)

• प्रोक्ता: is said/declared
• प्रोक्ता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय-विशेषणम्

• क्षेत्रज्ञाख्या: called ‘kṣetrajña’
• क्षेत्रज्ञाख्या: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षेत्रज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (क्षेत्रज्ञस्य आख्या) = ‘named as kṣetrajña’; विशेषणम् (परा-शक्तेः)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

• अपरा: other/secondary
• अपरा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (शक्तेः)

• अविद्या: ignorance
• अविद्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कर्मसंज्ञान्या: known as ‘karma’
• कर्मसंज्ञान्या: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञान्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कर्मणः संज्ञा यस्याः) = ‘having the designation “karma”’; विशेषणम् (अविद्यायाः)

• तृतीया: third
• तृतीया: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (शक्तेः)

• शक्तिः: power
• शक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इष्यते: is considered
• इष्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—‘is considered/held to be’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nature and classification of Viṣṇu’s śaktis (parā, kṣetrajña, avidyā/karma) and their role in bondage.

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Reality is explained through three śaktis—parā (supreme), kṣetrajña (indwelling knower), and avidyā/karma (binding power) that accounts for saṃsāra.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Discriminate the self as the witnessing kṣetrajña and weaken avidyā through study, meditation, and disciplined action offered to Viṣṇu.

Vishishtadvaita: Viṣṇu is the supreme ground while individual kṣetrajñas are real, dependent modes (śeṣa) whose bondage arises from avidyā/karma rather than from unreality.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Kṣetrajña
• Avidyā
• Karma

FAQs

What is the significance of the three śaktis of Vishnu in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames reality through three powers: the supreme transcendent power, the kṣetrajña (indwelling knower), and the binding power of avidyā/karma—together explaining divinity, consciousness, and bondage.

How does Sage Parāśara explain avidyā and karma in this context?

Parāśara identifies avidyā as a distinct śakti and equates it with karma in function—what produces conditioned experience, perpetuates saṃsāra, and obscures true knowledge of the Supreme.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is presented as the ultimate ground whose powers account for both liberation-oriented reality (parā and kṣetrajña) and worldly bondage (avidyā/karma), reinforcing Vishnu’s sovereignty over cosmos and self.