Shloka 24

अविद्याबीज-निरूपणं, योगस्वरूप-उपदेशः, मूर्तहरिधारणा-समाधि, जनकवंशीय-राजर्षिसंवादः

Devanagari script

तथात्मा प्रकृतेः सङ्गाद् अहंमानादिदूषितः भजते प्राकृतान् धर्मान् अन्यस् तेभ्यो हि सो ऽव्ययः

Transliteration

tathātmā prakṛteḥ saṅgād ahaṃmānādidūṣitaḥ bhajate prākṛtān dharmān anyas tebhyo hi so 'vyayaḥ

Translation

Так и воплощённое «я», из-за связи с Пракрити, омрачается чувством «я» и прочими искажениями и принимает качества и обязанности материальной природы. Но в истине оно отлично от них, ибо этот Атман непреходящ.

Word by Word

तथाthus, similarly

आत्माthe self

प्रकृतेःof prakṛti

सङ्गात्from association

अहंमानादिदूषितःtainted by egoism and the like

भजतेpartakes of, assumes

प्राकृतान्natural, of prakṛti

धर्मान्properties

अन्यःdifferent

तेभ्यःfrom them, than them

हिindeed

सःhe/it (the self)

अव्ययःimperishable

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How ego-sense (ahaṃmāna) and prakṛti’s qualities are adventitious to the self, which remains imperishable

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Through association with prakṛti the embodied self appears tainted by ego-sense and adopts material qualities, yet in truth the self is distinct and imperishable.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Track egoic reactions as prakṛti’s movements; respond with witness-awareness and disciplined conduct rather than self-identification.

Vishishtadvaita: The jīva is ‘anyaḥ’ (other than prakṛti) and ‘avyayaḥ’ (imperishable), supporting an enduring individual self that can be purified and oriented toward the Lord rather than dissolved into non-being.

Characters & Entities

Ahamkara

FAQs

What is the significance of Prakriti-association in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse explains that bondage arises when the Self associates with Prakṛti, leading it to appear conditioned by material qualities and roles, even though its real nature remains unchanged.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of ahaṃkāra (ego) here?

Parāśara presents ahaṃkāra as a primary “taint” born from contact with nature: it makes the Self identify with prakṛtic qualities and thus ‘adopt’ worldly dharmas.

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

By stressing the imperishability of the true Self beyond material traits, the teaching supports Vaishnava-Vedantic liberation: realizing one’s dependence on the Supreme (Vishnu) and disentangling from Prakṛti’s guṇas.