Shloka 10

उपसंहारः, वैष्णवपुराण-प्रशंसा, फलश्रुति, परम्परा-प्रवहः (पाठ-श्रवण-फलम्)

Devanagari script

प्रवृत्तं च निवृत्तं च ज्ञातं कर्म मयाखिलम् प्रसीद विप्रप्रवर नान्यत् प्रष्टव्यम् अस्ति मे

Transliteration

pravṛttaṃ ca nivṛttaṃ ca jñātaṃ karma mayākhilam prasīda viprapravara nānyat praṣṭavyam asti me

Translation

I have now understood in full the way of action and the way of withdrawal—every duty in its entirety. Be gracious, O best of Brahmins; I have nothing further to ask.

Word by Word

• pravṛttam: engaged in; active (path)
• pravṛttam: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravṛtta (pra+√vṛt धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; qualifies karma

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• nivṛttam: withdrawn; renunciatory (path)
• nivṛttam: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nivṛtta (ni+√vṛt धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; qualifies karma

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• jñātam: has been understood
• jñātam: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñāta (√jñā धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावे 'has been known'

• karma: action; duty
• karma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• akhilam: entirely; all
• akhilam: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; qualifies karma/jñātam

• prasīda: be pleased; show favor
• prasīda: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+√sad (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• vipra-pravara: O best of brahmins
• vipra-pravara: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra + pravara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय, पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• anyat: anything else
• anyat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; with na = 'nothing else'

• praṣṭavyam: something to be asked
• praṣṭavyam: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṣṭavya (pra+√prach धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्यय; gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'to be asked' as predicate-noun

• asti: there is
• asti: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• me: for me; of me
• me: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th) / चतुर्थी (4th) एकवचन; here genitive 'for me/of mine'

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Completion of teaching on pravṛtti (engaged action) and nivṛtti (withdrawal/renunciation); disciple declares no further questions

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Both paths—pravṛtti and nivṛtti—are to be understood as comprehensive disciplines, after which inquiry settles into practiced life and inner quiet.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Discern your life-stage and capacity: perform duties without attachment (pravṛtti) while cultivating inward detachment and contemplation (nivṛtti).

Vishishtadvaita: Nivṛtti is not world-negation but reorientation: actions and renunciation alike become service to the Lord when grounded in surrender.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Sage Parāśara
• Pravṛtti
• Nivṛtti
• Dharma (Karma)

FAQs

What is the significance of pravṛtti and nivṛtti in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks the student’s recognition that both worldly duty (pravṛtti) and renunciant withdrawal (nivṛtti) are valid, complete frameworks of dharma when properly understood.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept of karma in this dialogue?

The dialogue presents karma as structured dharma—actions aligned with order and purpose—alongside nivṛtti as the inward turning that culminates knowledge; here Maitreya indicates he has grasped both.

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

Even when not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana’s instruction treats dharma and liberation as grounded in the supreme reality governed by Vishnu—so understanding pravṛtti and nivṛtti is ultimately oriented toward liberation under His sovereignty.