Shloka 65

आत्यन्तिक-लयहेतुः: तापत्रय-विवेचनम् तथा ‘भगवान्/वासुदेव’ शब्दार्थः

Threefold Suffering and the Path to Final Liberation; Meaning of Bhagavān and Vāsudeva

Devanagari script

द्वे विद्ये वेदितव्ये वै इति चाथर्वणी श्रुतिः परया त्व् अक्षरप्राप्तिर् ऋग्वेदादिमयापरा

Transliteration

dve vidye veditavye vai iti cātharvaṇī śrutiḥ parayā tv akṣaraprāptir ṛgvedādimayāparā

Translation

आथर्वण श्रुती म्हणते—“दोन विद्या जाणण्यास योग्य आहेत.” परा विद्येने अक्षराची प्राप्ती होते; आणि अपरा विद्या ऋग्वेदादींनी युक्त आहे.

Word by Word

द्वेtwo

विद्येknowledges

वेदितव्येto be known

वैindeed

इतिthus

चand

आथर्वणीAtharvan-related (of the Atharva Veda)

श्रुतिःthe śruti (scriptural statement)

परयाby the higher (knowledge)

तुbut

अक्षरप्राप्तिःattainment of the Imperishable

ऋग्वेदादिमयाby the lower (knowledge) consisting of Ṛgveda etc.

अपराby the lower (knowledge)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

Atharvaveda (Ātharvaṇī Śruti)

Akṣara (the Imperishable Brahman)

Vedas

FAQs

What is the significance of para and apara vidya in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse distinguishes scriptural and ritual learning (apara) from liberating realization (para) that leads to the Imperishable (Akṣara), framing knowledge as ultimately meant for moksha.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the difference between higher and lower knowledge?

Parāśara cites Atharvanic śruti: higher knowledge is that by which Akṣara is attained, while lower knowledge is constituted by the Ṛgveda and the other Vedas—valuable, yet not final without realization.

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

In the Vishnu Purana’s Vaishnava Vedanta, the “Imperishable” ultimately aligns with the Supreme Reality—Vishnu as the highest principle—so para vidya culminates in realizing and reaching that supreme, unchanging ground.