Shloka 1

ऋभु–निदाघ-संवादः—अद्वैत-उपदेशः, समता, वासुदेव-स्वरूप-एकत्वम्

Devanagari script

इत्य् उक्ते मौनिनं भूयश् चिन्तयानं महीपतिम् प्रत्युवाचाथ विप्रो ऽसाव् अद्वैतान्तर्गतां कथाम्

Transliteration

ity ukte mauninaṃ bhūyaś cintayānaṃ mahīpatim pratyuvācātha vipro 'sāv advaitāntargatāṃ kathām

Translation

यह कहे जाने पर राजा मुनि-सा मौन होकर फिर चिंतन में डूब गया। तब उस ब्राह्मण ने उसे प्रत्युत्तर दिया और अद्वैत की परिधि में स्थित कथा का विस्तार किया।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्ते: when (this) had been spoken
• उक्ते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उक्त (कृदन्त; √वच् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘when it was said’ (locative absolute)

• मौनिनम्: the sage (silent one)
• मौनिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौनिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• भूयः: again/further
• भूयः: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्/भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘again/further’)

• चिन्तयानम्: thinking/pondering
• चिन्तयानम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिन्तयत् (कृदन्त; √चिन्त् (धातु) + शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले (present active participle)

• महीपतिम्: the king
• महीपतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (महीपतेः = ‘lord of the earth’)

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• प्रत्युवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha/Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunctive/adverb: ‘then/now’)

• विप्रः: the brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• असौ: that (man)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असौ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अद्वैतान्तर्गताम्: included within non-duality
• अद्वैतान्तर्गताम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्वैत (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर्गत (कृदन्त; अन्तर् + √गम् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अद्वैते अन्तर्गताम् = ‘included within non-duality’)

• कथाम्: discourse/teaching
• कथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

A Brahmin (vipra) addressing the king (mahīpati) within the Parasara–Maitreya narration frame

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After the king’s silent contemplation, the Brahmin continues with a discourse oriented to non-dual understanding.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Allow teachings to ‘land’ through silence and reflection before seeking more explanation; integrate śravaṇa with manana.

Vishishtadvaita: Frames non-dual discourse within a relational teacher-disciple setting, aligning realization with disciplined listening and contemplation rather than mere abstraction.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmin
• King

FAQs

What is the significance of Advaita (non-duality) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse signals a shift from external concerns of rulership to an inward, contemplative teaching framed as “advaita-antargatā,” indicating a philosophical instruction on ultimate reality and unity.

How does the dialogue structure function here in the Vishnu Purana?

A king becomes silent and reflective, and a Brahmin responds with a higher teaching—showing the Purana’s method of conveying metaphysics through narrative conversation.

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

Even when phrased as non-dual teaching, the Vishnu Purana typically uses such instruction to orient the listener toward the Supreme Reality that it identifies with Vishnu as the ground of all being and order.