Shloka 57

मायामोह-प्रवर्तन, वेदमार्ग-बहिष्कार, तथा पाषण्ड-संसर्ग-दोषः

Māyāmoha’s Delusion, Rejection of the Vedic Path, and the Fault of Heretical Association

Devanagari script

एकदा तु समं स्नातौ तौ तु भार्यापती जले भागीरथ्याः समुत्तीर्णौ कार्त्तिक्यां समुपोषितौ पाषण्डिनम् अपश्येताम् आयान्तं संमुखं द्विज

Transliteration

ekadā tu samaṃ snātau tau tu bhāryāpatī jale bhāgīrathyāḥ samuttīrṇau kārttikyāṃ samupoṣitau pāṣaṇḍinam apaśyetām āyāntaṃ saṃmukhaṃ dvija

Translation

ഒരു ദിവസം ഭാര്യാഭർത്താക്കന്മാർ രണ്ടുപേരും ഒരുമിച്ച് ഭാഗീരഥിയുടെ ജലത്തിൽ സ്നാനം ചെയ്ത് കരയിൽ കയറി—കാർത്തിക മാസത്തിൽ ഉപവാസം അനുഷ്ഠിച്ചിരിക്കെ—ഹേ ദ്വിജ, അവർ നേരെ മുന്നിൽ നിന്ന് വരുന്ന ഒരു പാഷണ്ഡിയെ കണ്ടു.

Word by Word

एकदाonce

तुindeed, then

समम्together

स्नातौhaving bathed

तौthose two (they both)

तुindeed

भार्यापतीwife and husband

जलेin the water

भागीरथ्याःof the Bhāgīrathī (Ganga)

समुत्तीर्णौhaving emerged (from the river)

कार्त्तिक्याम्in (the month of) Kārttika

समुपोषितौhaving observed a fast

पाषण्डिनम्a heretic, sectarian

अपश्येताम्they saw

आयान्तम्coming

संमुखम्towards them, face to face

द्विजO Brahmin

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā)

Kārttika (sacred month)

Pāṣaṇḍin (heterodox ascetic)

Dvija (brāhmaṇa addressee)

FAQs

What is the significance of Kārttika observances in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Kārttika as a potent sacred time for vrata (fasting) and purification rites, setting a dharmic backdrop against which one’s adherence to Vedic order is tested.

How does Sage Parāśara use narrative episodes to explain dharma?

Parāśara places a disciplined couple—fresh from Gaṅgā-bathing and fasting—into a direct encounter with a pāṣaṇḍin, using the contrast to teach discernment and steadfastness in orthodox dharma.

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

Even when not named explicitly, the Kārttika vrata and river purification are traditionally oriented toward Viṣṇu as the supreme sustainer of dharma, implying that true observance aligns the devotee with the cosmic order He upholds.