Shloka 1

परमार्थ-निर्णयः—श्रेयस्-भेदः, कर्म-ध्यान-सीमा, एकात्मदर्शनम्

Devanagari script

निशम्य तस्येति वचः परमार्थसमन्वितम् प्रश्रयावनतो भूत्वा तम् आह नृपतिर् द्विजम्

Transliteration

niśamya tasyeti vacaḥ paramārthasamanvitam praśrayāvanato bhūtvā tam āha nṛpatir dvijam

Translation

ครั้นได้สดับถ้อยคำอันประกอบด้วยปรมัตถ์นั้นแล้ว พระราชาทรงน้อมกายด้วยความเคารพ และตรัสกับพราหมณ์ผู้นั้น

Word by Word

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Kriya (Gerundial/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + शम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (singular), पुं/नपुंसक-सम्भव (contextual)

• इति: thus (quoting)
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण/quotative particle)

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• परमार्थसमन्वितम्: endowed with the highest truth
• परमार्थसमन्वितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त; सम्+अन्वि धातु, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘परमार्थेन समन्वितम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of वचः

• प्रश्रयावनतः: bowed down with humility
• प्रश्रयावनतः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रश्रय (प्रातिपदिक) + अवनत (कृदन्त; अव+नम् धातु, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘प्रश्रयेण अवनतः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of नृपतिः

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having become)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine)

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु; √अह् ‘to say’)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• नृपतिः: the king
• नृपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)

• द्विजम्: the brahmin
• द्विजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Narrator (Sage Parāśara) describing the scene; the king is about to speak to a Brahmin

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Reverent humility (praśraya) is the proper response to paramārtha-teaching and becomes the doorway for deeper assimilation of wisdom.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Approach teachers/texts with disciplined attention, ask questions respectfully, and pause before reacting so insight can settle.

Vishishtadvaita: Models śaraṇāgati-like receptivity: the jīva learns by humble dependence rather than self-assertion.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• King (nṛpati)
• Brahmin (dvija)

FAQs

What is the significance of the king bowing to a Brahmin in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights rāja-dharma: legitimate sovereignty is guided by humility and deference to spiritual knowledge, especially when teachings concern paramārtha (ultimate truth).

How does Sage Parāśara structure teachings through dialogue in the Vishnu Purana?

He often frames doctrine through narrative moments—here, a king hears truth-laden counsel and responds respectfully—so philosophical instruction arises naturally within historical and genealogical storytelling.

What is the theological importance of “paramārtha” in this context?

It signals that the discussion is oriented toward ultimate reality and right order; in the Vishnu Purana, such truth ultimately converges on dharma upheld by—and consummated in—Lord Vishnu as the supreme ground of sovereignty and cosmic law.