Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

यन् नामकीर्तनं भक्त्या विलायनम् अनुत्तमम् मैत्रेयाशेषपापानां धातूनाम् इव पावकः

Transliteration

yan nāmakīrtanaṃ bhaktyā vilāyanam anuttamam maitreyāśeṣapāpānāṃ dhātūnām iva pāvakaḥ

Translation

O Maitreya, the chanting of His Name with devotion is the unsurpassed dissolver of all sins—just as fire melts and refines metals.

Word by Word

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• नामकीर्तनम्: chanting of the name
• नामकीर्तनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् + कीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—नाम्नः कीर्तनम्

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विलायनम्: dissolution, melting away
• विलायनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विलायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, supreme
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• अशेषपापानाम्: of all sins without remainder
• अशेषपापानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशेष + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—अशेषाणि पापानि

• धातूनाम्: of metals/minerals
• धातूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• इव: like, as
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमार्थक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• पावकः: fire
• पावकः: Upamana/Upameya (Simile term/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Supremacy of nāma-kīrtana as an easy means of pāpa-kṣaya

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhakti-infused nāma-kīrtana is the unsurpassed solvent of all sins, like fire refining metals.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Adopt daily japa/kīrtana with faith and steadiness; treat the Name as a living presence that reforms habits and purifies intention.

Vishishtadvaita: Emphasizes prapatti-like accessibility: the Lord’s grace operates through His Name, a simple upāya suited to embodied souls.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of nāma-kīrtana in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents devotional chanting of Vishnu’s Name as an unsurpassed purifier that dissolves sin completely, likened to fire refining metal.

How does Sage Parāśara explain purification through devotion to Maitreya?

Parāśara frames bhakti as an active spiritual force: when the Name is sung with devotion, it ‘melts away’ accumulated sin, indicating inner transformation rather than mere ritual removal.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is implied as the supreme refuge whose Name itself carries purifying potency, reinforcing a Vaishnava view that devotion and remembrance directly connect the soul to the Supreme Reality.