Shloka 108

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

पृथिवीविषयं सर्वम् अरुन्धत्याम् अजायत संकल्पायास् तु सर्वात्मा जज्ञे संकल्प एव च

Transliteration

pṛthivīviṣayaṃ sarvam arundhatyām ajāyata saṃkalpāyās tu sarvātmā jajñe saṃkalpa eva ca

Translation

From Arundhatī arose all that pertains to the realm of Earth; and from Saṅkalpā, the All-Self came forth—indeed, Saṅkalpa (Divine Will) itself was born as Saṅkalpa.

Word by Word

• पृथिवीविषयम्: the earthly domain
• पृथिवीविषयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी + विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पृथिव्याः विषयः)

• सर्वम्: all/entire
• सर्वम्: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पृथिवीविषयम्)

• अरुन्धत्याम्: in/through Arundhatī
• अरुन्धत्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरुन्धती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• अजायत: was born/arose
• अजायत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• संकल्पायाः: from Saṃkalpā
• संकल्पायाः: Apadana/Source (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकल्पा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• सर्वात्मा: the All-soul (Sarvātmā)
• सर्वात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सर्वः आत्मा यस्य/सर्वात्मा)

• जज्ञे: was born/was produced
• जज्ञे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• संकल्पः: Saṃkalpa
• संकल्पः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Discourse/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How terrestrial domain and cosmic intention arise in creation

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The ‘All-Self’ manifests through saṅkalpa (divine intentionality), indicating conscious will as the ordering principle behind the world.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate pure intention (saṅkalpa) in sādhanā—align personal will with the Lord’s will through daily sankalpa, prayer, and ethical resolve.

Vishishtadvaita: Brahman as the conscious Inner Ruler (antaryāmin) whose will expresses as real world-order, not illusory projection.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Arundhatī
• Saṅkalpā
• Sarvātmā

FAQs

What is the significance of Saṅkalpa (Divine Will) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It presents will/intention as a generative cosmic principle—creation unfolds through saṅkalpa, which is portrayed as both source and manifested power.

How does Sage Parāśara explain creation through lineages in this passage?

He frames cosmic order as arising via named progenitors (like Arundhatī and Saṅkalpā), mapping metaphysical principles into a genealogical narrative of sarga.

What is the theological importance of the ‘Sarvātmā’ here?

Sarvātmā indicates the Supreme immanent reality underlying all beings; in Vaishnava Vedanta readings, this points to Vishnu as the inner Self who manifests the cosmos through will.