Shloka 23

प्रचेतसां तपः तथा विष्णु-स्तुतिः

The Pracetases’ Ocean Tapas and Hymn to Vishnu

Devanagari script

नताः स्म सर्ववचसां प्रतिष्ठा यत्र शाश्वती तम् आद्यन्तम् अशेषस्य जगतः परमं प्रभुम्

Transliteration

natāḥ sma sarvavacasāṃ pratiṣṭhā yatra śāśvatī tam ādyantam aśeṣasya jagataḥ paramaṃ prabhum

Translation

We bow to Him in whom abides the eternal foundation of all sacred utterance; to that Supreme Lord—Himself the beginning and the end—who is the highest Master of the entire, limitless universe.

Word by Word

• नताः: bowed down
• नताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — ‘bowed’

• स्म: indeed/then
• स्म: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्मृति/भूतार्थ-निपात) — particle used with past narration

• सर्ववचसाम्: of all words/speeches
• सर्ववचसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + वचस् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘सर्वेषां वचसाम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — genitive plural

• प्रतिष्ठा: foundation/support
• प्रतिष्ठा: Karta (Predicate-noun/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — nominative singular

• यत्र: where/in whom
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्ध/स्थानवाचक) — relative adverb ‘where/in whom’

• शाश्वती: eternal
• शाश्वती: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — adjective qualifying ‘प्रतिष्ठा’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — demonstrative pronoun

• आद्यन्तम्: beginning-and-end (source and end)
• आद्यन्तम्: Karman (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि + अन्त (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: समासः (द्वन्द्व) ‘आदि च अन्तश्च’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — adjective to ‘तम्’

• अशेषस्य: of the entire
• अशेषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन — genitive singular (qualifies ‘जगतः’)

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन — genitive singular

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karman (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — adjective qualifying ‘प्रभुम्’

• प्रभुम्: lord
• प्रभुम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — accusative singular

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing the Supreme Lord while instructing Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Lord is the eternal ground of all sacred speech and the beginning and end of the entire universe, establishing Him as the ultimate cause and sovereign.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate the source of meaning behind mantra and scripture, letting reverence for that ground stabilize study and practice.

Vishishtadvaita: Vishnu is both the transcendent Lord (paramaṃ prabhum) and the sustaining foundation of Vedic revelation—supporting qualified non-dualism where the world and Veda rest in Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being called the foundation of all speech in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Vishnu as the eternal support of all sacred utterance—meaning the authority and meaning of the Vedas ultimately rest in Him.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme Lord’s relation to the universe here?

Parāśara describes the Lord as both the beginning and the end of all that exists, indicating that creation, continuity, and dissolution depend upon Him.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as the supreme reality and sovereign of the whole cosmos, a key Vaishnava claim that frames all later cosmology and narrative in the Purana.