Shloka 46
प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः
तस्माद् यतेत पुण्येषु य इच्छेन् महतीं श्रियम् यतितव्यं समत्वे च निर्वाणम् अपि चेच्छता
tasmād yateta puṇyeṣu ya icchen mahatīṃ śriyam yatitavyaṃ samatve ca nirvāṇam api cecchatā
Karena itu, siapa yang menghendaki kemakmuran besar hendaknya berusaha dalam kebajikan; dan siapa yang merindukan pembebasan pun harus berlatih dalam keseimbangan batin (samata).
Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: What should one do, given the unreliability of worldly outcomes—means to prosperity and to liberation
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: compassionate
Concept: For worldly prosperity pursue puṇya, but for liberation cultivate samatva—steady equanimity—since nirvāṇa requires inner balance beyond external gain.
Vedantic Theme: Moksha
Application: Maintain daily ethical disciplines (puṇya) while practicing equanimity through meditation, measured response to praise/blame, and surrender of outcomes.
Vishishtadvaita: Equanimity functions as a preparatory virtue (sādhana) that supports bhakti and prapatti: the self remains dependent on the Lord while becoming inwardly steady amid changing states.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Shanta
Lakshmi Presence: Sri
FAQs
This verse makes equanimity the required discipline for liberation, presenting inner balance as the practical means to transcend bondage.
He distinguishes the means: prosperity is pursued through merit (puṇya), while liberation is pursued through cultivated equanimity (samatva).
Though not named in the verse, the teaching aligns with Vaishnava dharma: ordered living and inner steadiness purify the seeker toward the Supreme Reality upheld by Vishnu.