Shloka 48

Devanagari script

ततस् तम् ऊचुर् वरदं प्रणिपत्य प्रचेतसः यथा पित्रा समादिष्टं प्रजानां वृद्धिकारणम्

Transliteration

tatas tam ūcur varadaṃ praṇipatya pracetasaḥ yathā pitrā samādiṣṭaṃ prajānāṃ vṛddhikāraṇam

Translation

Then the Pracetases, bowing down before the boon-bestowing Lord, said: “As our father commanded, grant us that cause by which living beings may increase and flourish.”

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = 'then'

• तम्: to him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (ऊचुः)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (वचने)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वरदम्: the boon-giver
• वरदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे कर्म (तम् विशेषयति)

• प्रणिपत्य: having prostrated
• प्रणिपत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-√नम् (नमने)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) = 'having bowed/prostrated'

• प्रचेतसः: the Pracetas
• प्रचेतसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रचेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्ता

• यथा: as, according to
• यथा: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्ध/उपमान/प्रकारवाचक) = 'as/according to'

• पित्रा: by (their) father
• पित्रा: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (by the father)

• समादिष्टम्: commanded
• समादिष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-√दिश् (आदेशने) + क्त (आदिष्ट)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (वृद्धिकारणम्) = 'commanded/instructed'

• प्रजानाम्: of creatures/subjects
• प्रजानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• वृद्धिकारणम्: the cause of increase/prosperity
• वृद्धिकारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वृद्धेः कारणम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (ऊचुः—इति वाक्ये)

Speaker

The Pracetasas (addressing the boon-giver, typically Lord Vishnu in this episode)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Boon-seeking is framed as duty: the Pracetases ask not for private pleasure but for the cause of prajā-vṛddhi, aligning desire with dharma and cosmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Orient goals toward collective flourishing—family, community, ecology—so actions become offerings rather than ego projects.

Vishishtadvaita: The world’s increase is meaningful within God’s body (jagat as His śarīra); seeking prajā-vṛddhi under His sanction affirms dependent reality (śeṣatva).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Pracetasas
• Their father (Prācīnabarhis/Prācīnabarhiṣat, implied)
• Vishnu (boon-bestower, implied)

FAQs

What is the significance of prajā-vṛddhi (increase of beings) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames prajā-vṛddhi as a sacred objective tied to cosmic order: the Pracetasas approach the boon-giver to learn the means by which creation is sustained and expanded, aligning personal action with universal continuity.

How does the Vishnu Purana present the Pracetasas’ duty in this episode?

Their duty is shown as obedience to their father’s command and reverent surrender to the divine source of boons; they seek not mere power, but the rightful cause that enables lawful increase of progeny.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Vishnu is implied as the varada who authorizes and sustains generative order—progeny and continuity arise under his sovereign will, reinforcing his role as the supreme preserver and inner governor of creation.