Shloka 60

Devanagari script

इयं च मारिषा पूर्वम् आसीद् या तां ब्रवीमि वः कार्यगौरवम् एतस्याः कथने फलदायि वः

Transliteration

iyaṃ ca māriṣā pūrvam āsīd yā tāṃ bravīmi vaḥ kāryagauravam etasyāḥ kathane phaladāyi vaḥ

Translation

ಈ ಮಾರಿಷಾ ಹಿಂದೆಯೂ ಇದ್ದಳು—ಅವಳ ವಿಷಯವನ್ನೇ ನಾನು ನಿಮಗೆ ಹೇಳುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಅವಳ ಕಥೆಗೆ ಮಹತ್ತರ ಮಹತ್ವವಿದೆ; ಅದನ್ನು ಹೇಳುವುದು ನಿಮಗೆ ಫಲದಾಯಕ, ಪುಣ್ಯಪ್ರದವಾಗಿದೆ.

Word by Word

• इयम्: this (she/this one)
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• मारिषा: Māriṣā (proper name)
• मारिषा: Predicate/Complement (विशेष्य-पूर्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारिषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सम्बोधनार्थे अपि प्रयुज्यते; here nominative)

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Adverbial (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणवत् अव्यय (adverb: 'formerly/before')

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• या: who; which
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• ताम्: her; that
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रवीमि: I tell; I speak
• ब्रवीमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वः: to you; for you
• वः: Sampradana/Beneficiary (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Dat./Gen. 4th/6th), बहुवचन; enclitic form

• कार्यगौरवम्: the importance/weight of the task
• कार्यगौरवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य + गौरव (प्रातिपदिक; components: कार्य + गौरव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कार्यस्य गौरवम्)

• एतस्याः: of this (story/one)
• एतस्याः: Genitive relation (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कथने: in the telling; in narration
• कथने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• फलदायि: fruit-giving; beneficial
• फलदायि: Predicate/Complement (विशेष्य-पूर्ति)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फल + दायिन् (प्रातिपदिक; components: फल + दायिन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (फलम् ददाति इति) विशेषण (of implied 'कथनम्/कथनम्')

• वः: for you
• वः: Sampradana/Beneficiary (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; enclitic

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Introduction to the prior existence and karmic significance of Marīṣā and the fruit (puṇya) of hearing her account

Teaching: Historical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sacred narrative (kathā) carries karmic gravity, and hearing/relating it with faith yields spiritual fruit (puṇya).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Approach Purāṇic listening/reading as disciplined śravaṇa—regular, attentive, and ethically oriented—rather than as mere entertainment.

Vishishtadvaita: Highlights śravaṇa of Vaiṣṇava kathā as a real means of grace and purification within embodied life (karma and devotion integrated).

Characters & Entities

• Marishā
• Sage Parāśara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of the Marishā episode in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Marishā’s account as an earlier-occurring, karmically weighty narrative whose recounting supports the Purana’s dynastic history and conveys merit (phala) to the listener.

How does Sage Parāśara explain why certain stories are told in detail?

He signals their kārya-gaurava—narrative and moral gravity—and adds a phala-śruti: the act of hearing/retelling itself is spiritually beneficial within the teacher–disciple transmission.

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

Even within genealogy, the Purana treats history as ordered under divine sovereignty; the merit of narration implies that these lineages and events ultimately unfold within Vishnu’s sustaining cosmic order.