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Shloka 18

Sṛṣṭi-krama, Pratibimba-Upādhi, and Viṣṇu as Primary Brahman

with Pralaya and Nāma-Stuti

Devanagari script

एक एव हरिः पूर्वं ह्यविद्यावशतः स्वयम् / अनेको भवति ह्यारादादर्शप्रतिर्बिबवत्

Transliteration

eka eva hariḥ pūrvaṃ hyavidyāvaśataḥ svayam / aneko bhavati hyārādādarśapratirbibavat

Translation

Hari (Viṣṇu) ist wahrhaft einzig; doch unter der Macht der Unwissenheit (Avidyā) erscheint Er als viele — wie ein einziges Gesicht, das durch Spiegelungen im Spiegel vielfach zu werden scheint.

Word by Word
एकःone
एकः:
Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of हरिः)
TypeAdjective
Rootएक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)
एवindeed/only
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, अवधारण-निपात (emphatic: only/indeed)
हरिःHari (Vishnu)
हरिः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootहरि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
पूर्वम्formerly
पूर्वम्:
Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपूर्वम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-रूप)
Formअव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb: formerly)
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, निपात
अविद्यावशतःdue to the power of ignorance
अविद्यावशतः:
Hetu (हेतु/cause)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअविद्यावशतस् (प्रातिपदिक: अविद्या + वश)
Formतसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘due to/from’), तत्पुरुष (अविद्यायाः वशः)
स्वयम्by himself
स्वयम्:
Karta (कर्ता; emphasis on agent)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस्वयम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, आत्मवाचक (reflexive adverb: by oneself)
अनेकःmany/manifold
अनेकः:
Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Rootअनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण
भवतिbecomes
भवति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, निपात
आरात्from a distance
आरात्:
Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootआरात् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: from afar/at a distance)
आदर्शप्रतिःa mirror-reflection
आदर्शप्रतिः:
Upamana (उपमान; illustrative subject)
TypeNoun
Rootआदर्शप्रतिः (प्रातिपदिक: आदर्श + प्रति)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (आदर्शे प्रति/आदर्शस्य प्रतिः = reflection in a mirror)
बिबवत्like (a reflection/image)
बिबवत्:
Upamana (उपमान-marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootबिबवत् (कृदन्त; √भा/√भास्?; here ‘bimba-vat’ sense)
Formवत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (comparative particle: like/as)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda, Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: One Hari appears as many due to avidyā, like one face multiplied in a mirror through reflections.

Vedantic Theme: Māyā/avidyā as the principle of apparent plurality; non-dual substratum with illusory multiplicity (ābhāsa).

Application: When confronted with fragmentation (self/others/world), recall the single underlying reality; reduce fear/attachment by seeing multiplicity as appearance; deepen devotion to Hari as the one ground.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.2.14 (reflection meaning); Garuda Purana 3.2.15 (unity across Kṛṣṇa/Rāma); Garuda Purana 3.2.17 (ignorance of source)

Characters & Entities
H
Hari
V
Vishnu
G
Garuda

FAQs

The verse states that multiplicity is an appearance caused by avidya; reality is the oneness of Hari, while “many” is like a reflection-based illusion.

It uses the mirror-reflection analogy: one entity can seem like many through reflections, similarly the one Hari appears as diverse forms to the ignorant view.

Cultivate discrimination (viveka) and devotion with clarity: see unity behind differences, reduce ego-based divisions, and pursue knowledge that dissolves ignorance.

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