Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

स कारणं कारणतस् ततो ऽपि तस्यापि हेतुः परहेतुहेतुः कार्येषु चैवं सह कर्मकर्तृ रूपैर् अशेषैर् अवतीह सर्वम्

Transliteration

sa kāraṇaṃ kāraṇatas tato 'pi tasyāpi hetuḥ parahetuhetuḥ kāryeṣu caivaṃ saha karmakartṛ rūpair aśeṣair avatīha sarvam

Translation

He is the cause of causes; beyond the chain of causation, He is the ultimate ground behind every ground. Thus, within all effects, He alone abides here as everything, assuming without remainder the forms of action and actor, of deed and doer.

Word by Word

• सः: he (that one)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Predicate/Complement (विशेष्य-पूर्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन

• कारणतः: as/being the cause; from the cause-side
• कारणतः: Adverbial (हेतु/अपादान-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'from/as cause')

• ततः: thereafter; from that
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रम/अपादान-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereafter')

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Particle (समुच्चय/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Genitive relation (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Particle (समुच्चय/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• हेतुः: cause; reason
• हेतुः: Predicate/Complement (विशेष्य-पूर्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• परहेतुहेतुः: the cause of the causes of others (ultimate cause)
• परहेतुहेतुः: Predicate/Complement (विशेष्य-पूर्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-हेतु-हेतु (प्रातिपदिक; components: पर + हेतु + हेतु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष (parahetūnām hetuḥ)

• कार्येषु: in effects; in created things
• कार्येषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Adverbial (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/in this manner')

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-उपसर्गसदृश (prepositional indeclinable: 'together with'); सामान्यतः तृतीया-सहयोगे

• कर्मकर्तृ: as object and agent (both)
• कर्मकर्तृ: Qualifier (विशेषण-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् + कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; components: कर्म + कर्तृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (karmāṇi ca kartā ca)

• रूपैः: by forms; in forms
• रूपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• अशेषैः: without remainder; all
• अशेषैः: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'रूपैः')

• अवति: protects; sustains
• अवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इह: here; in this world
• इह: Adverbial (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nature of the Supreme as the ultimate cause and indwelling reality behind all causation and agency

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vishnu alone is the cause of all causes and abides within every effect as the inner controller, appearing as agent, action, and instrument without remainder.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate all experiences—doer, deed, and result—as dependent on the Lord to reduce egoic ownership and cultivate steady God-remembrance.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms the Lord as both transcendent ground and immanent antaryāmin who pervades all effects while remaining their sovereign cause.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being called the “cause of causes” in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse asserts Vishnu as the ultimate source behind every causal chain—no cause is independent of Him, and even the principle of causality rests in Him.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine presence within the world of effects?

Parāśara states that within all produced things (effects), Vishnu abides as everything—manifesting as both the doer (kartṛ) and the deed/action (karma).

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here for Vaishnava philosophy?

The verse presents Vishnu as both transcendent (beyond causes) and immanent (present in all effects), supporting Vaishnava views of the Supreme who pervades and governs the universe.