Shloka 10

प्रचेतसां तपः तथा विष्णु-स्तुतिः

The Pracetases’ Ocean Tapas and Hymn to Vishnu

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणा देवदेवेन समादिष्टो ऽस्म्य् अहं सुताः प्रजाः संवर्धनीयास् ते मया चोक्तं तथेति तत्

Transliteration

brahmaṇā devadevena samādiṣṭo 'smy ahaṃ sutāḥ prajāḥ saṃvardhanīyās te mayā coktaṃ tatheti tat

Translation

By Brahmā, the God of gods, I was commanded: “My sons, these beings are to be increased and sustained.” I replied, “So be it”; thus I accepted that charge.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā / by Brahman
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• देवदेवेन: by the god of gods
• देवदेवेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवः) (Instrumental singular)

• समादिष्टः: (I am) instructed/commanded
• समादिष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√दिश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘आदेशितः’ (Past passive participle, nominative singular)

• अस्मि: am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुषः? (अत्र उत्तमपुरुषः), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष एकवचन (Present indicative, 1st person singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Pronoun, nominative singular)

• सुताः: sons
• सुताः: Sambodhyah/Addressed (Vocative sense/सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• प्रजाः: creatures/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Accusative plural)

• संवर्धनीयाः: to be nurtured/increased
• संवर्धनीयाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√वृध् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृदन्त)
• Form: विधिलिङ्गार्थक कृदन्त (अनीयर् = ‘should be’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; प्रजाः इति विशेषणम् (Gerundive, nominative plural feminine)

• ते: you
• ते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अत्र सम्बोधनार्थे (you) (Pronoun, vocative/nominative plural)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• उक्तम्: said/spoken
• उक्तम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘said’ (Past passive participle, neuter singular)

• तथा: thus/so
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

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

• तत्: that (statement/command)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (that)

Speaker

A Prajāpati/creator-figure (speaking to his sons, within Parāśara’s narration to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How progeny/creatures are to be increased according to Brahmā’s command

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma begins with faithful execution of the divinely ordained responsibility to sustain and expand creation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Accept legitimate duties with integrity and follow through without evasiveness.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic order is maintained through delegated agency under the Supreme’s governance, with Brahmā as an instrument of that will.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Prajā (beings/creation)
• Prajāpati (implied)

FAQs

What is the significance of Brahmā’s command to ‘increase the creatures’ in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames creation as a regulated cosmic duty: beings multiply and flourish not randomly, but under a divine ordinance that sustains universal order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the process of creation through delegated roles?

In the narrative flow, Parāśara presents Brahmā as commissioning progenitors (Prajāpatis and their lineages) to carry out expansion of life, showing creation as structured governance.

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

Even when Brahmā appears as the commander, the Vishnu Purana’s broader theology treats such cosmic functions as operating within the supreme sovereignty of Vishnu, the sustaining ground of order and continuity.