Shloka 28

अविद्याबीज-निरूपणं, योगस्वरूप-उपदेशः, मूर्तहरिधारणा-समाधि, जनकवंशीय-राजर्षिसंवादः

Devanagari script

मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः बन्धस्य विषयासङ्गि मुक्तेर् निर्विषयं तथा

Transliteration

mana eva manuṣyāṇāṃ kāraṇaṃ bandhamokṣayoḥ bandhasya viṣayāsaṅgi mukter nirviṣayaṃ tathā

Translation

मन हेच मनुष्यांच्या बंधन व मोक्षाचे कारण आहे. विषयासक्त मन बंधन घडवते; आणि विषयविरहित तेच मन मुक्तीचे साधन होते.

Word by Word

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• मनुष्याणाम्: of humans
• मनुष्याणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Pradhana (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

• बन्धमोक्षयोः: of bondage and liberation
• बन्धमोक्षयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धमोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक: बन्ध + मोक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, द्विवचनम्

• बन्धस्य: of bondage
• बन्धस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• विषयासङ्गि: attached to sense-objects
• विषयासङ्गि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषयासङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक: विषय + आसङ्गिन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (मनः इत्यस्य)

• मुक्तेः: of liberation
• मुक्तेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• निर्विषयम्: free from objects (objectless)
• निर्विषयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विषय (प्रातिपदिक: निर् + विषय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (मनः इत्यस्य)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्ययम् (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The same mind becomes bondage when attached to sense-objects and liberation when freed from them.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Notice craving as it arises; practice sense-restraint and redirect attention to a higher object (mantra, dhyāna) to weaken attachment.

Vishishtadvaita: Mind-discipline is a means, yet liberation is oriented toward the Supreme; detachment prepares the jīva (a real mode of Brahman) for God-centered realization.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of the mind (manas) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that the mind itself determines bondage or liberation: attachment to sense-objects binds, while freedom from object-fixation releases.

How does Sage Parāśara explain bondage and liberation here?

Parāśara presents a practical inner psychology: the same instrument—mind—creates samsāra through viṣaya-attachment and becomes the means of mokṣa when made nirviṣaya (non-attached).

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching supports Vaishnava soteriology: purification and steadiness of mind remove bondage and prepare the devotee for realization and devotion directed to the Supreme Reality, Vishnu.