Shloka 38

प्रचेतसां तपः तथा विष्णु-स्तुतिः

The Pracetases’ Ocean Tapas and Hymn to Vishnu

Devanagari script

अविकारम् अजं शुद्धं निर्गुणं यन् निरञ्जनम् नताः स्म तत् परं ब्रह्म विष्णोर् यत् परमं पदम्

Transliteration

avikāram ajaṃ śuddhaṃ nirguṇaṃ yan nirañjanam natāḥ sma tat paraṃ brahma viṣṇor yat paramaṃ padam

Translation

We bow to the Supreme Brahman—Vishnu’s highest state—changeless, unborn, pure, beyond the guṇas, and stainless.

Word by Word

• अविकारम्: unchanging
• अविकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समासभावः; विशेषणम् (tat/brahma)

• अजम्: unborn
• अजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समासभावः; विशेषणम्

• शुद्धम्: pure
• शुद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• निर्गुणम्: without qualities
• निर्गुणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-गुण (प्रातिपदिक; निस्/निर् + गुण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-प्रातिपदिक; विशेषणम्

• यत्: which/that (whom)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• निरञ्जनम्: stainless, untainted
• निरञ्जनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-अञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + अञ्जन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

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

• स्म: (particle)
• स्म: Kriya-nipāta
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्म-कारः

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देशात्मक सर्वनाम

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (brahma)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha/Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम; अत्र विशेष्यं (padam)

• परमम्: highest
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (padam)

• पदम्: abode, state, position
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; voiced as a devotional salutation within the discourse)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identification of Vishnu’s paramaṃ padam as the changeless Supreme Brahman beyond prakṛti-guṇas

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vishnu’s highest state is the Supreme Brahman—unchanging, unborn, pure, and beyond prakṛti’s guṇas—worthy of reverent surrender.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Anchor devotion in the Lord’s transcendence: worship with steadiness, not bargaining with changing circumstances; meditate on His stainless nature.

Vishishtadvaita: Equates Para-Brahman with Vishnu (personal absolute), aligning liberation with attaining His parama-pada rather than impersonal dissolution.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of calling Vishnu “nirguṇa” in the Vishnu Purana?

Here “nirguṇa” indicates that the Supreme Vishnu is not conditioned by prakriti’s three guṇas; He transcends material qualities even while ruling and supporting the cosmos.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme Reality in this verse?

Parāśara frames the Supreme as changeless, unborn, pure, and stainless—identifying that absolute Brahman specifically with Vishnu’s “paramaṃ padam,” the highest state/abode sought by devotees.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu being called “paraṃ brahma” here?

The verse equates Vishnu with the Supreme Brahman, presenting Him as the ultimate object of reverence and liberation, central to Vaishnava readings where the highest reality is personal and sovereign.