Shloka 17

मायामोह-प्रवर्तन, वेदमार्ग-बहिष्कार, तथा पाषण्ड-संसर्ग-दोषः

Māyāmoha’s Delusion, Rejection of the Vedic Path, and the Fault of Heretical Association

Devanagari script

स्वर्गार्थं यदि वो वाञ्छा निर्वाणार्थम् अथासुराः तद् अलं पशुघातादिदुष्टधर्मं निबोधत

Transliteration

svargārthaṃ yadi vo vāñchā nirvāṇārtham athāsurāḥ tad alaṃ paśughātādiduṣṭadharmaṃ nibodhata

Translation

Если вы желаете небес—или, о асуры, ищете нирвану,—то довольно этого злого «дхарма», начинающегося с убийства животных. Постигните истинную дхарму.

Word by Word

• स्वर्गार्थम्: for heaven
• स्वर्गार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (स्वर्गस्य अर्थः/प्रयोजनम्)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Conditional/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (शर्त/सम्भावना)

• वः: your (pl.)
• वः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• वाञ्छा: desire
• वाञ्छा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाञ्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निर्वाणार्थम्: for nirvāṇa
• निर्वाणार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाण + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (निर्वाणस्य अर्थः/प्रयोजनम्)

• अथ: or / then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तर/विकल्प)

• असुराः: O asuras
• असुराः: Sambodhana/Address (Vocative sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तत्: then / therefore
• तत्: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (निपातार्थे ‘then/therefore’)

• अलम्: enough (of) / cease
• अलम्: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (पर्याप्ति/निषेधार्थे)

• पशुघातादिदुष्टधर्मम्: the evil practice of animal-killing and the like
• पशुघातादिदुष्टधर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु + घात + आदि + दुष्ट + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पशुघात-आदि-रूपः दुष्टः धर्मः)

• निबोधत: understand / learn
• निबोधत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating a dharmic teaching within the broader dialogue to Maitreya; the immediate address is to the Asuras within the story)

Characters & Entities

• Asuras
• Svarga
• Nirvana

FAQs

What is the significance of rejecting animal-killing in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse frames animal slaughter as “duṣṭa-dharma” (corrupt religion) and insists that both worldly merit (svarga) and the highest goal (nirvāṇa) require ethical restraint and true righteousness.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the right path when people seek heaven or liberation?

He redirects seekers away from violent, misguided ritualism and toward authentic dharma—conduct aligned with moral order (especially non-harm), which supports spiritual clarity and liberation.

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

In the Vishnu Purana’s framework, dharma is ultimately grounded in the Supreme Lord Vishnu; abandoning violent “false dharma” prepares the mind for devotion and realization aligned with Vishnu’s sovereign order.