Shloka 89

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

Devanagari script

तद् एकावयवं देवं चेतसा हि पुनर् बुधः कुर्यात् ततो ऽवयविनि प्रणिधानपरो भवेत्

Transliteration

tad ekāvayavaṃ devaṃ cetasā hi punar budhaḥ kuryāt tato 'vayavini praṇidhānaparo bhavet

Translation

Then the wise seeker should again fashion within the mind the Divine as a single limb alone; from that, he becomes wholly intent on steady contemplation of the complete Lord who possesses all limbs.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (object of meditation)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; अत्र कर्मनिर्देशे ‘तत् (ध्यानम्/रूपम्)’

• एक-अवयवम्: having a single part (at a time)
• एक-अवयवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + अवयव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् — ‘एकः अवयवः यस्य’ (single-limbed/one part at a time)

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चेतसा: with the mind
• चेतसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) = particle (indeed/for)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = again

• बुधः: the wise person
• बुधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should practice
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should do/should practice’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Sequence/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय = thereafter

• अवयविनि: in the whole (possessing parts)
• अवयविनि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवयविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘अवयवयुक्ते (समग्रे)’ (in the whole possessing parts)

• प्रणिधान-परः: intent on focused attention
• प्रणिधान-परः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणिधान (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् — ‘प्रणिधाने परः’ (intent on deep attention/fixation)

• भवेत्: should become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should become’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: By concentrating on a single limb (ekāvayava) and then expanding to the possessor of all limbs (avayavin), the mind learns both one-pointedness and holistic apprehension of the Lord.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Use a staged focus: begin with one chosen feature (e.g., face/feet) to stabilize attention, then intentionally widen awareness to the complete presence without losing steadiness.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord is apprehended as a unified whole whose parts are real; contemplation moves from part to whole, mirroring the qualified unity of Brahman with attributes.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of meditating on a single limb of the Lord in the Vishnu Purana?

It is presented as a practical yogic step: focusing on one divine member stabilizes the mind, preparing it to contemplate the complete, all-encompassing Lord without distraction.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the move from part to whole in contemplation?

He frames it as a progression—first forming a steady mental image of one aspect, then expanding that steadiness into absorption (praṇidhāna) in the avayavin, the full reality that possesses all aspects.

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

Vishnu is implied as the Supreme Whole: individual forms or limbs are valid supports for meditation, yet the goal is unwavering contemplation of Vishnu as the complete, sovereign Reality.