Shloka 148

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

शैलैर् आक्रान्तदेहो ऽपि यः स्मरन् पुरुषोत्तमम् तत्याज नात्मनः प्राणान् विष्णुस्मरणदंशितः

Transliteration

śailair ākrāntadeho 'pi yaḥ smaran puruṣottamam tatyāja nātmanaḥ prāṇān viṣṇusmaraṇadaṃśitaḥ

Translation

Kahit nadurog ang katawan sa ilalim ng mga bato, hindi niya binitiwan ang hininga ng buhay; sapagkat inaalala niya ang Puruṣottama, na wari’y tinusok ng lakas ng pag-alaala kay Vishnu.

Word by Word

• शैलैः: by rocks/mountains
• शैलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण (instrument)

• आक्रान्तदेहः: whose body was crushed/overwhelmed
• आक्रान्तदेहः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आक्रान्त (कृदन्त; √क्रम् आक्रमणे, क्त) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—“आक्रान्तः देहः यस्य” (whose body is crushed/overpowered)

• अपि: even/though
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-अव्यय (concessive particle: even/also)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: Karta (Agent as participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; “remembering”

• पुरुषोत्तमम्: the Supreme Person
• पुरुषोत्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• तत्याज: abandoned/gave up
• तत्याज: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• आत्मनः: of himself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of himself)

• प्राणान्: life-breaths; life
• प्राणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्म

• विष्णुस्मरणदंशितः: pierced/affected by remembrance of Vishnu
• विष्णुस्मरणदंशितः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मरण (प्रातिपदिक) + दंशित (कृदन्त; √दंश् दंशने, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—“विष्णोः स्मरणेन दंशितः” (bitten/struck by remembrance of Vishnu; i.e., absorbed)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu-smaraṇa (remembrance of Vishnu) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Vishnu-remembrance as a transformative force that can sustain a devotee beyond physical trauma, emphasizing bhakti as spiritually sovereign over bodily conditions.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the power of devotion in extreme suffering?

Through narrative illustration: even when the body is crushed, the mind fixed on Puruṣottama does not ‘let go’ of life—devotion becomes the inner support that overrides ordinary limits.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu 'Puruṣottama' here?

‘Puruṣottama’ signals Vishnu as the Supreme Person—the highest reality and refuge—so remembrance of Him is not merely emotional comfort but contact with the ultimate sustaining principle.