Shloka 49

ध्रुवस्य तपः — देवमायाविघ्नाः, विष्णोर्दर्शनम्, स्तुतिः, ध्रुवस्थानप्रदानम्

Devanagari script

ब्रह्माद्यैर् वेदवेदज्ञैर् ज्ञायते यस्य नो गतिः तं त्वां कथम् अहं देव स्तोतुं शक्ष्यामि बालकः

Transliteration

brahmādyair vedavedajñair jñāyate yasya no gatiḥ taṃ tvāṃ katham ahaṃ deva stotuṃ śakṣyāmi bālakaḥ

Translation

Even Brahmā and the foremost knowers of the Veda cannot fathom Your ultimate course or limit. How then could I—only a child—have the power to praise You adequately, O Deva?

Word by Word

• ब्रह्माद्यैः: by Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्माद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मा-आदि = Brahmā and others)

• वेदवेदज्ञैः: by knowers of the Veda
• वेदवेदज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + वेदज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (वेदवेदज्ञ = those who know the Veda)

• ज्ञायते: is known
• ज्ञायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदी; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

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

• गतिः: course/limit/true nature
• गतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• स्तोतुम्: to praise
• स्तोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), शक्-धातोः पूरक (complement infinitive)

• शक्ष्यामि: will be able
• शक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• बालकः: a child
• बालकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तृ-सम्बन्धे विशेष्य (appositional)

Speaker

A devotee/child supplicant addressing Lord Vishnu (within Parasara’s narration to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s ultimate ‘gati’ (limit, course, true nature) is unfathomable even to Brahmā and Veda-knowers; human praise must be grounded in humility and grace.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Hold theological certainty with epistemic humility—study and chant, but accept the Infinite exceeds intellect.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms the Lord’s ananta-kalyāṇa-guṇas beyond full comprehension, while still being personally addressable by the devotee.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Veda
• Veda-knowers (Vedavedajña)

FAQs

What is the significance of calling Vishnu’s ‘gati’ unknowable in the Vishnu Purana?

It asserts Vishnu’s transcendence: even Brahmā and Vedic experts cannot reach the full limit of His reality, emphasizing Him as the Supreme beyond cosmic hierarchy.

How does Sage Parasara explain the limits of knowledge in devotion?

Through such verses, the narrative highlights that scholarship and even divine status do not guarantee complete comprehension—humble devotion recognizes the Infinite as ultimately beyond full description.

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

Vishnu is presented as Para Brahman—supremely sovereign and ineffable—so praise becomes an act of bhakti and surrender rather than a claim of complete understanding.