Shloka 52

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

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

Devanagari script

जातमात्रश् च म्रियते बालभावे ऽथ यौवने मध्यमं वा वयः प्राप्य वार्द्धके वा ध्रुवा मृतिः

Transliteration

jātamātraś ca mriyate bālabhāve 'tha yauvane madhyamaṃ vā vayaḥ prāpya vārddhake vā dhruvā mṛtiḥ

Translation

ਕੋਈ ਜਨਮਦੇ ਹੀ ਮਰ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ; ਕੋਈ ਬਾਲ ਅਵਸਥਾ ਵਿੱਚ, ਕੋਈ ਜਵਾਨੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਚਲਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਕੋਈ ਮੱਧ ਉਮਰ ਤੱਕ ਪਹੁੰਚ ਕੇ ਡਿੱਗ ਪੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਕੋਈ ਬੁਢਾਪੇ ਵਿੱਚ; ਪਰ ਹਰ ਹਾਲਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੌਤ ਨਿਸ਼ਚਿਤ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• जातमात्रः: just-born
• जातमात्रः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (जन् धातु; क्त कृदन्त) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (जातस्य मात्रम् = just born); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (and)

• म्रियते: dies
• म्रियते: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• बालभावे: in childhood
• बालभावे: Adhikaraṇa (Time/State)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (बालस्य भावः = childhood); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक/प्रसङ्गार्थक निपात (then/now)

• यौवने: in youth
• यौवने: Adhikaraṇa (Time/State)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मध्यमम्: middle
• मध्यमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; वयः इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (qualifier of age)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (or)

• वयः: age
• वयः: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having attained
• प्राप्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): having attained

• वार्द्धके: in old age
• वार्द्धके: Adhikaraṇa (Time/State)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्द्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• ध्रुवा: certain
• ध्रुवा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; मृतिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मृतिः: death
• मृतिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

• Time (Kāla)
• Death (Mṛtyu)

FAQs

What is the significance of Kāla (Time) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames time as an unerring law that governs embodied life—death can arrive at any stage, demonstrating the absolute certainty of Kāla’s rule over worldly existence.

How does Sage Parāśara explain impermanence in this passage?

By listing birth, childhood, youth, middle age, and old age as possible points of death, Parāśara teaches Maitreya that no human condition guarantees security, urging detachment and higher pursuit.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

While Vishnu is not named in this verse, the teaching supports a core Purāṇic conclusion: what is conditioned by time perishes, so one should seek the timeless Supreme Reality (Vishnu) beyond decay and death.