Vishnu Purana 5.10.8 — Krishna Avatara, Amsha 5, Adhyaya 10, Shloka 8

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

शनकैः शनकैस् तीरं तत्यजुश् च जलाशयाः ममत्वं क्षेत्रपुत्रादिरूढम् उच्चैर् यथा बुधाः

Transliteration

śanakaiḥ śanakais tīraṃ tatyajuś ca jalāśayāḥ mamatvaṃ kṣetraputrādirūḍham uccair yathā budhāḥ

Translation

చెరువులు, జలాశయాలు మెల్లమెల్లగా తమ తీరం విడిచినట్లే, జ్ఞానులు కూడా క్రమంగా ‘నాది’ అనే మమకారాన్ని—క్షేత్రం, కుమారుడు మొదలైన వాటిపై బలంగా పాతుకున్నదాన్ని—వదులుతారు.

Word by Word

• शनकैः: slowly
• शनकैः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनकैः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्ययम् (adverb)

• शनकैः: little by little
• शनकैः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनकैः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्ययम् (adverb), पुनरुक्तिः (repetition for emphasis)

• तीरम्: the shore/bank
• तीरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• तत्यजुः: they abandoned
• तत्यजुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• जल-आशयाः: lakes/ponds (water-reservoirs)
• जल-आशयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जलस्य आशयः)

• ममत्वम्: sense of ‘mine’/possessiveness
• ममत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ममत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• क्षेत्र-पुत्र-आदि-रूढम्: rooted in field, sons, etc.
• क्षेत्र-पुत्र-आदि-रूढम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + रूढ (कृदन्त; √रुह्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; भूतकृदन्त-विशेषणम् (past participle adjective)

• उच्चैः: high/upwards; strongly
• उच्चैः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उच्चैः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्ययम् (adverb)

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्ययम् (comparative particle)

• बुधाः: the wise
• बुधाः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Wise persons relinquish the entrenched sense of ‘mine’ progressively, as water slowly withdraws from a shoreline.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice staged renunciation: simplify possessions, loosen identity around family/property, and redirect attachment toward God-centered duty.

Vishishtadvaita: Detachment is not nihilistic; it reorders attachment from finite ‘mine’ to the Supreme as the true owner and inner ruler.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of mamatva (the sense of ‘mine’) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse treats mamatva as a deeply rooted bondage—especially toward property and family—that must be steadily relinquished for spiritual clarity and liberation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain renunciation in this context?

He frames it as gradual: like water slowly leaving a shoreline, the wise loosen attachment step by step rather than through abrupt, unstable rejection.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Detachment is presented as a prerequisite for turning from transient ‘mine-ness’ toward the enduring Supreme Reality—Vishnu—who alone is ultimate refuge beyond worldly ownership.