Shloka 41
प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः
तत् कर्म यन् न बन्धाय सा विद्या या विमुक्तये आयासायापरं कर्म विद्यान्या शिल्पनैपुणम्
tat karma yan na bandhāya sā vidyā yā vimuktaye āyāsāyāparaṃ karma vidyānyā śilpanaipuṇam
ബന്ധനമാകാത്തതേ കർമ്മം; വിമുക്തിയിലേക്കു നയിക്കുന്നതേ വിദ്യ. മറ്റെല്ലാ കർമ്മവും വെറും അധ്വാനം; മറ്റെല്ലാ ‘വിദ്യ’യും ശില്പനൈപുണ്യം മാത്രമാണ്.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Concept: True action is that which does not bind, and true knowledge is that which liberates; everything else is mere exertion and technical skill.
Vedantic Theme: Moksha
Application: Prioritize disciplines that reduce karmic entanglement—selfless duty, devotion, and inquiry—over status-driven productivity and mere credentialism.
Vishishtadvaita: Liberating knowledge culminates in realizing one’s śeṣatva (dependence) and directing karma as service to the Lord, not as egoic doership.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
This verse sets a liberation-centered standard: actions are valuable when they reduce bondage, and knowledge is authentic when it leads to moksha—implicitly directing the seeker toward Vishnu-realization rather than worldly gain.
Parāśara distinguishes vidyā that produces vimukti from “other learning,” which he calls only śilpa-naipuṇya—technical or artistic competence without spiritual emancipation.
In Vaishnava reading, the knowledge that liberates culminates in understanding and devotion to Vishnu as the Supreme Lord; karma becomes non-binding when aligned with dharma and offered without egoic attachment.