Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

एतद् ब्रह्मपराख्यं वै संस्तवं परमं जपन् अवाप परमां सिद्धिं स समाराध्य केशवम्

Transliteration

etad brahmaparākhyaṃ vai saṃstavaṃ paramaṃ japan avāpa paramāṃ siddhiṃ sa samārādhya keśavam

Translation

Reciting this supreme hymn—known as the ‘Brahma-para’ praise—he attained the highest perfection, for through it he had truly worshipped Keshava (Vishnu), the Supreme Reality.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मपराख्यम्: named/specified as 'Brahma-para' (supreme Brahman)
• ब्रह्मपराख्यम्: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म + पर + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक; components: ब्रह्म + पर + आख्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्म-परम् आख्यं यस्य/ब्रह्मपरम् आख्यं) विशेषण (of 'संस्तवम्')

• वै: indeed
• वै: Particle (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• संस्तवम्: hymn; eulogy
• संस्तवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्तव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of 'संस्तवम्')

• जपन्: reciting; muttering
• जपन्: Karta (Agent as participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परस्मैपद-भाव

• अवाप: attained
• अवाप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; अव-उपसर्ग

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of 'सिद्धिम्')

• सिद्धिम्: attainment; perfection
• सिद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समाराध्य: having worshipped; having propitiated
• समाराध्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-राध् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-कृदन्त (Gerund/absolutive), 'having worshipped/propitiated'

• केशवम्: Keshava (Vishnu)
• केशवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Efficacy of the brahma-parā hymn as japa leading to supreme siddhi through worship of Keśava

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Japa of the supreme Brahman-praise is itself true worship of Keśava and leads to the highest siddhi.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Adopt consistent recitation of a vetted stotra/mantra with attention and humility, treating it as direct upāsanā rather than mere reading.

Vishishtadvaita: Links Brahman-realization to personal worship of Keśava—mokṣa through devotion to the Supreme Person, not impersonal abstraction.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahman

FAQs

What is the significance of reciting a Brahman-named hymn (brahma-parākhya saṃstava) in the Vishnu Purana?

The verse states that this hymn, identified with Brahman, functions as supreme worship: its japa leads to the highest spiritual attainment (paramā siddhi) because it directly propitiates Keshava, i.e., Vishnu as Supreme Reality.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between japa and attaining siddhi?

Parāśara presents japa not as mere repetition but as effective upāsanā: by repeatedly reciting the supreme praise, one “fully worships” Keshava, and that worship culminates in the highest siddhi.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (Keshava) in this context?

Vishnu is positioned as Brahman itself—the ultimate principle—so devotion expressed through hymn-recitation is simultaneously worship of the personal Lord and realization-oriented reverence toward the Supreme.