Shloka 33

प्रचेतसां तपः तथा विष्णु-स्तुतिः

The Pracetases’ Ocean Tapas and Hymn to Vishnu

Devanagari script

समस्तेन्द्रियवर्गस्य यः सदा स्थानम् उत्तमम् तस्मै शब्दादिरूपाय नमः कृष्णाय वेधसे

Transliteration

samastendriyavargasya yaḥ sadā sthānam uttamam tasmai śabdādirūpāya namaḥ kṛṣṇāya vedhase

Translation

Salutations to Kṛṣṇa, the all-ordaining Creator—ever the highest abode of the entire host of senses, and, as the very form of sound and the rest, their underlying reality.

Word by Word

• समस्तेन्द्रियवर्गस्य: of the entire group of senses
• समस्तेन्द्रियवर्गस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समस्त + इन्द्रिय + वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (समस्तानाम् इन्द्रियाणां वर्गः)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• स्थानम्: abode; seat
• स्थानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• उत्तमम्: supreme; best
• उत्तमम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with स्थानम्)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• शब्दादिरूपाय: to the form whose beginning is sound (sound etc.)
• शब्दादिरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द + आदि + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शब्दः आदिः यस्य रूपस्य/शब्दादि-रूपः)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभूत-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• कृष्णाय: to Krishna
• कृष्णाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• वेधसे: to the creator; ordainer
• वेधसे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; 'वेधस्' = विधाता/स्रष्टा

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; a doxological passage within the cosmological exposition)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identification of the Lord with tanmātras (sound etc.) and as the supreme locus of the senses

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kṛṣṇa, the ordainer (vedhas), is the underlying reality of the senses and the subtle elements beginning with sound, serving as their supreme ‘abode’.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: When sensory experience arises, trace it back to its subtle source and rest the mind in the divine ground rather than in objects.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord is both the transcendent creator and the immanent substrate of sensory and subtle realities, supporting a real world dependent on Him (śeṣa-śeṣi).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (as Kṛṣṇa)
• The senses (indriyas)

FAQs

What is the significance of describing Vishnu as the 'supreme abode of all the senses' in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents Vishnu as the inner support and governing ground of perception and action—senses function because their highest basis and ruler is the Supreme.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of 'śabda and the rest' (śabdādi) here?

He identifies the Lord with the subtle principles like sound (and related tanmātras), implying that the elements and sensory capacities rest upon and manifest from the Supreme’s sustaining presence.

What is the theological importance of calling the Lord 'Kṛṣṇa' and 'Vedhas' in this verse?

‘Kṛṣṇa’ affirms the Supreme Vishnu as the ultimate object of devotion, while ‘Vedhas’ emphasizes His sovereignty as the cosmic ordainer—both devotionally personal and metaphysically supreme.