Shloka 21

परमार्थ-निर्णयः—श्रेयस्-भेदः, कर्म-ध्यान-सीमा, एकात्मदर्शनम्

Devanagari script

ऋग्यजुःसामनिष्पाद्यं यज्ञकर्म मतं तव परमार्थभूतं तत्रापि श्रूयतां गदतो मम

Transliteration

ṛgyajuḥsāmaniṣpādyaṃ yajñakarma mataṃ tava paramārthabhūtaṃ tatrāpi śrūyatāṃ gadato mama

Translation

ତୁମେ ଋଗ୍, ଯଜୁଃ, ସାମରୁ ନିଷ୍ପନ୍ନ ଯଜ୍ଞକର୍ମକୁ ପରମ ପଥ ଭାବୁଛ; କିନ୍ତୁ ସେହି ଯଜ୍ଞର ମଧ୍ୟରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଏକ ପରମ ଅନ୍ତର୍ନିହିତ ତାତ୍ପର୍ୟ ଅଛି—ମୋ କଥା ଶୁଣ।

Word by Word

• ऋग्-यजुः-साम-निष्पाद्यम्: to be performed/produced by Ṛg, Yajus and Sāman (Vedic hymns)
• ऋग्-यजुः-साम-निष्पाद्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋच्/ऋग् (प्रातिपदिक) + यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + सामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + निष्पाद्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्तः—निष्+पद् (धातु) + ण्यत्/यत् (gerundive: ‘to be produced’); समासः—ऋग्यजुःसामभिः निष्पाद्यम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• यज्ञकर्म: sacrificial act/ritual action
• यज्ञकर्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—यज्ञस्य कर्म (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• मतम्: is considered
• मतम्: Predicate (Vidhāna/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘इति मन्यते/सम्मतम्’

• तव: of you / your
• तव: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• परमार्थ-भूतम्: constituting the highest truth
• परमार्थ-भूतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमार्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—परमार्थः भूतो यस्य/यत् (कर्मधारय-तत्पुरुषवत् प्रयोगः: ‘as highest truth’)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• अपि: also
• अपि: Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• श्रूयताम्: let it be heard
• श्रूयताम्: Kriyā (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः—‘श्रूयताम्’ = ‘let it be heard’

• गदतः: of (me) speaking
• गदतः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गद् (धातु) → गदत् (शतृ-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘(of me) who is speaking’

• मम: my / of me
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: You take Vedic sacrifice (from Ṛg-Yajus-Sāman) as the highest path; what is its inner, supreme purport beyond the external rite?

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even Vedic yajña has an inner, supreme intent that transcends mere ritual performance and points toward the highest reality.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Engage outer practices (ritual, service, discipline) while seeking their inner aim—purification and God-centeredness—rather than stopping at form alone.

Vishishtadvaita: Suggests that Vedic ritual is subordinate and teleological—its deepest meaning culminates in devotion/realization of the Supreme Person rather than autonomous ritual efficacy.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Rig Veda
• Yajur Veda
• Sama Veda
• Yajna (sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the significance of yajña in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames yajña as Veda-born and important, but insists its highest value lies in its inner, supreme purport—not merely the external rite.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the ‘paramārtha’ within ritual action?

He signals that even within Vedic sacrificial procedure there is a deeper doctrinal meaning, which he will articulate directly as part of his instruction to Maitreya.

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

By pointing to a ‘supreme purport’ beyond ritual, the text steers the listener toward the ultimate divine reality that rituals serve—classically understood in the Vishnu Purana as culminating in Vishnu.