Shloka 74

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

एवं दुराशयाक्षिप्तमानसः पुरुषः सदा श्रेयसो ऽभिमुखं याति न कदाचित् पिपासितः

Transliteration

evaṃ durāśayākṣiptamānasaḥ puruṣaḥ sadā śreyaso 'bhimukhaṃ yāti na kadācit pipāsitaḥ

Translation

Vì thế, kẻ có tâm luôn bị lôi kéo bởi những hy vọng hão huyền chẳng bao giờ quay về phía Thiện Lành Tối Thượng; như người khát cháy mà không hướng đến điều có thể giải khát.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), प्रकारवाचकः

• दुराशयाक्षिप्तमानसः: whose mind is distracted by bad hopes
• दुराशयाक्षिप्तमानसः: Karta (Qualifier of subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुराशय + आक्षिप्त + मानस (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (पुरुषः-विशेषण); समासः: दुराशयेन आक्षिप्तं मानसं यस्य (instrumental tatpurusha / descriptive)

• पुरुषः: a person
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• सदा: always
• सदा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), नित्यत्ववाचकः

• श्रेयसः: of the good (highest good)
• श्रेयसः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचनम्

• अभिमुखम्: towards
• अभिमुखम्: Sambandha (Directional adverb/दिशा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभिमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत् क्रियाविशेषणम्; द्वितीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययवत् (towards)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation marker/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• कदाचित्: ever/at any time
• कदाचित्: Sambandha (Temporal adverb/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), कालवाचकः (at any time/ever)

• पिपासितः: thirsty
• पिपासितः: Karta (Qualifier of subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिपासित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √प्यास्/पिब्? actually denom. from पिपासा)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तवत् विशेषणम्, पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; पुरुष-विशेषण

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How vain hopes (durāśā) perpetually distract the mind from turning toward śreyas, like thirst that never seeks true quenching.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: penetrating

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A mind pulled by futile expectations fails to face the true Highest Good that alone satisfies, as water ends thirst.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Identify one recurring ‘durāśā’ (status, possession, validation) and replace it with a concrete bhakti practice and a simpler vow.

Vishishtadvaita: Positions ‘true satisfaction’ as found in the Supreme (not mere negation), aligning liberation with turning toward the Lord as the soul’s fulfillment.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of śreyas (the Highest Good) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse contrasts true welfare (śreyas) with the mind’s pursuit of vain hopes, teaching that liberation-oriented life begins when one turns away from unstable desires toward the highest aim.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the problem of durāśā (vain hope)?

Parāśara depicts durāśā as a force that “drags” the mind, preventing steady movement toward śreyas—implying that spiritual progress requires inner reorientation and restraint.

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

Even without naming Vishnu directly, the verse supports a Vaishnava framework where the Supreme Good ultimately culminates in turning toward Vishnu as the highest refuge and final fulfillment beyond worldly cravings.