Shloka 37

प्रचेतसां तपः तथा विष्णु-स्तुतिः

The Pracetases’ Ocean Tapas and Hymn to Vishnu

Devanagari script

शुद्धः संल्लक्ष्यते भ्रान्त्या गुणवान् इव यो ऽगुणः तम् आत्मरूपिणं देवं नताः स्म पुरुषोत्तमम्

Transliteration

śuddhaḥ saṃllakṣyate bhrāntyā guṇavān iva yo 'guṇaḥ tam ātmarūpiṇaṃ devaṃ natāḥ sma puruṣottamam

Translation

Though He is utterly pure and without attributes, through delusion He is perceived as if endowed with qualities. To that God who is the Self in all, to the Supreme Person, Puruṣottama, we bow.

Word by Word

• शुद्धः: pure
• शुद्धः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (implicit subject)

• संल्लक्ष्यते: is perceived, is observed
• संल्लक्ष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लक्ष् (धातु) (सम् + लक्ष्यते)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• भ्रान्त्या: by delusion
• भ्रान्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• गुणवान्: possessing qualities
• गुणवान्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (implicit subject)

• इव: as if
• इव: Upamāna-marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• अगुणः: without qualities
• अगुणः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष/नञ्-समासभावः (negated)

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

• आत्मरूपिणम्: having the Self as (his) form
• आत्मरूपिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्म-रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक; आत्मन् + रूपिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः रूपं यस्य)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नताः: bowed, having bowed
• नताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत (कृदन्त; √नम् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), कर्तरि; (वयं) implied

• स्म: indeed / (particle)
• स्म: Kriya-nipāta
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्म-कारः (past/affirmative particle, often with perfect/preterite sense)

• पुरुषोत्तमम्: the Supreme Person
• पुरुषोत्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; पुरुष + उत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय-प्रायः (पुरुषाणाम् उत्तमः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; verse voiced as a devotional/doctrinal statement within the discourse)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Why the attributeless Supreme is misconceived as qualified, and His identity as Self of all (ātmarūpin)

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme, though pure and beyond material guṇas, is mistakenly perceived as guṇa-possessed due to bhrānti; in truth He is the Self-form in all and the Puruṣottama.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Cultivate viveka (discernment) to separate the Lord’s transcendence from projected limitations; pair inquiry with reverent surrender (namas).

Vishishtadvaita: Guṇa-negation targets prakṛtic guṇas, while affirming the personal Puruṣottama as the inner Self of all—transcendent yet immanent.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of the Lord being ‘nirguṇa’ yet appearing ‘saguṇa’ in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that Vishnu is truly beyond material guṇas, yet is mistakenly perceived as having attributes—highlighting the gap between ultimate reality and conditioned perception.

How does Sage Parāśara explain delusion (bhrānti) in relation to knowing Vishnu?

Parāśara implies that bhrānti causes the attributeless Supreme to be viewed through the lens of qualities; right understanding recognizes Him as pure and the inner Self of all.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu ‘Ātmarūpin’ and ‘Puruṣottama’ here?

It affirms Vishnu as the indwelling Self (not merely a distant deity) and as the Supreme Person worthy of surrender—supporting a Vedantic, devotion-centered vision of ultimate sovereignty.