Shloka 20

मैत्रेयप्रश्नः—पुराणसंहिताप्रतिज्ञा च

Maitreya’s Questions and Parāśara’s Resolve to Teach

Devanagari script

अलं निशाचरैर् दग्धैर् दीनैर् अनपराधिभिः सत्रं ते विरमत्व् एतत् क्षमासारा हि साधवः

Transliteration

alaṃ niśācarair dagdhair dīnair anaparādhibhiḥ satraṃ te viramatv etat kṣamāsārā hi sādhavaḥ

Translation

Basta: estes errantes da noite estão chamuscados e miseráveis, e contudo sem culpa; que cesse este teu satra. Os santos têm a tolerância por essência; o perdão é o seu próprio âmago.

Word by Word

अलम्enough

निशाचरैःby night-roamers (rākṣasas)

दग्धैःburnt

दीनैःwretched

अनपराधिभिःinnocent; not at fault

सत्रम्the sacrificial session

तेyour

विरमतुlet it cease

एतत्this

क्षमासाराःhaving forgiveness as their essence

हिfor

साधवःthe good (saints)

Speaker

Uncertain from the isolated verse (likely a compassionate admonition within the Parāśara–Maitreya narrative frame of Ansha 1).

Characters & Entities

Niśācara (night-rangers/Rākṣasas)

Sādhus (the virtuous)

FAQs

What is the significance of kṣamā (forgiveness) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse defines true goodness (sādhutva) by kṣamā: the virtuous restrain punishment and choose mercy, especially when the afflicted are innocent.

How does the Vishnu Purana frame ritual action (satra) in relation to dharma here?

It implies that ritual power must be governed by ethical discernment—an extended sacrifice should be halted if it harms the guiltless.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purāṇa’s Vaishnava ethic presents dharma—especially compassion and restraint—as aligned with the supreme order upheld by Vishnu.