Shloka 117

दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः

Devanagari script

यज्ञविद्या महाविद्या गुह्यविद्या च शोभने आत्मविद्या च देवि त्वं विमुक्तिफलदायिनी

Transliteration

yajñavidyā mahāvidyā guhyavidyā ca śobhane ātmavidyā ca devi tvaṃ vimuktiphaladāyinī

Translation

Ô Déesse rayonnante, tu es la science du sacrifice, la grande sagesse et la sagesse secrète; tu es aussi la connaissance du Soi. Ô Devi, tu accordes le fruit de la délivrance.

Word by Word

• यज्ञविद्या: knowledge of sacrifice
• यज्ञविद्या: Predicate nominal (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—यज्ञस्य विद्या (knowledge of sacrifice)

• महाविद्या: great knowledge
• महाविद्या: Predicate nominal (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—महती विद्या (great knowledge)

• गुह्यविद्या: secret knowledge
• गुह्यविद्या: Predicate nominal (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—गुह्या विद्या (secret knowledge)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शोभने: O beautiful one
• शोभने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• आत्मविद्या: knowledge of the Self
• आत्मविद्या: Predicate nominal (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—आत्मनः विद्या (knowledge of the Self)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विमुक्तिफलदायिनी: giver of the fruit of liberation
• विमुक्तिफलदायिनी: Predicate adjective (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुक्ति + फल + दायिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—विमुक्तेः फलं ददाति इति (giver of the fruit of liberation)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (within the Parāśara–Maitreya dialogue; verse framed as a hymn addressing Devī/Śrī as the divine power of Vishnu)

Characters & Entities

• Atma-vidya (Self-knowledge)
• Vimukti (Liberation)
• Yajna (Sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the significance of yajñavidyā (knowledge of sacrifice) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse treats yajñavidyā as a divine form of wisdom upheld by the Goddess—sacrifice is not merely ritual, but a sacred order that supports dharma and becomes a step toward higher realization.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between secret knowledge (guhyavidyā) and liberation (vimukti)?

By calling the Goddess guhyavidyā and also the giver of liberation’s fruit, the teaching implies that inner, esoteric insight culminates in moksha when grounded in divine grace and right understanding.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Even while addressing Devī, the Vishnu Purana typically presents her as inseparable from Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty—her wisdom-forms (ritual, great, secret, and Self-knowledge) function as Vishnu’s saving power that leads beings to liberation.