Shloka 25

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

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

Devanagari script

अज्ञानं तामसो भावः कार्यारम्भाप्रवृत्तयः अज्ञानिनां प्रवर्तन्ते कर्मलोपास् ततो द्विज

Transliteration

ajñānaṃ tāmaso bhāvaḥ kāryārambhāpravṛttayaḥ ajñānināṃ pravartante karmalopās tato dvija

Translation

Kejahilan ialah sifat tamas. Daripadanya timbul dorongan yang tergesa-gesa untuk memulakan perbuatan; maka orang yang tidak mengetahui terdorong kepada permulaan kerja, dan dari situ, wahai yang dua kali lahir, berlaku kelalaian serta gugurnya dharma yang benar.

Word by Word

• अज्ञानम्: ignorance
• अज्ञानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तामसः: tamasic, of darkness
• तामसः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• भावः: state, disposition
• भावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कार्य-आरम्भ-अप्रवृत्तयः: non-engagement in undertaking actions
• कार्य-आरम्भ-अप्रवृत्तयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आरम्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + अप्रवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कार्यस्य आरम्भे अप्रवृत्तिः)

• अज्ञानिनाम्: of the ignorant
• अज्ञानिनाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• प्रवर्तन्ते: arise, proceed
• प्रवर्तन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• कर्म-लोपाः: omissions of duties/rites
• कर्म-लोपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + लोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कर्मणः लोपः)

• ततः: therefrom, then
• ततः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम् (therefrom/thereafter)

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Avidyā as tāmasika disposition leading to impulsive action and dharma-lapse

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avidyā, rooted in tamas, generates impulsive initiation of actions and culminates in neglect of true duty (karma-lopa).

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Before acting, pause for sattvic review—intention, dharmic fit, and offering of the act to the Lord—so activity becomes karma-yoga rather than bondage.

Vishishtadvaita: Guṇas condition the jīva’s agency, yet disciplined, God-oriented action purifies the antaḥkaraṇa, enabling grace and clearer knowledge of the Lord.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Dvija (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the significance of tamas (darkness) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse defines tamas as the condition of ignorance that pushes beings into unreflective activity, which then results in the omission of rightful duties (karmalopa).

How does Sage Parāśara explain the link between ignorance and karma?

Parāśara states that ignorance generates propensities toward initiating actions, and that momentum—lacking discernment—causes people to abandon or neglect prescribed dharma.

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

By diagnosing the guṇas and their effects, the Purāṇa implies that liberation and right order depend on rising beyond tamas through right knowledge and alignment with the higher reality upheld by Vishnu.