Shloka 77

प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

यातीतगोचरा वाचां मनसां चाविशेषणा ज्ञानिज्ञानपरिच्छेद्या तां वन्दे चेश्वरीं पराम्

Transliteration

yātītagocarā vācāṃ manasāṃ cāviśeṣaṇā jñānijñānaparicchedyā tāṃ vande ceśvarīṃ parām

Translation

I bow to the Supreme Sovereign Goddess, beyond speech and mind, without limiting attributes, approachable only through the highest knowing that transcends ordinary knowledge.

Word by Word

• यातीतगोचरा: beyond the range (of)
• यातीतगोचरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यातीत (कृदन्त) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (fem. nom. sg.)

• वाचाम्: of words/speech
• वाचाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (fem. gen. pl.)

• मनसाम्: of minds
• मनसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (neut. gen. pl.)

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

• अविशेषणा: indescribable / without distinguishing attribute
• अविशेषणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-विशेषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थक-निषेध (fem. nom. sg.; 'without specification/attribute')

• ज्ञानिज्ञानपरिच्छेद्या: knowable only by the knower’s knowledge
• ज्ञानिज्ञानपरिच्छेद्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञानी (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + परिच्छेद्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (fem. nom. sg.; 'to be delimited/known by the knowledge of the knower')

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (fem. acc. sg.)

• वन्दे: I bow to / I worship
• वन्दे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम् (laṭ, 1st sg., Ātmanepada)

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

• ईश्वरीम्: the Goddess / the sovereign Lady
• ईश्वरीम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (fem. acc. sg.)

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: Karman (Object-Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (fem. acc. sg.)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; hymn-like doctrinal statement within the discourse)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nature of the supreme principle beyond speech, mind, and attributes

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The supreme reality is beyond speech and mind, attribute-less, and approached only through higher, trans-empirical knowing.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Use neti-neti contemplation and quiet meditation to loosen attachment to conceptual labels and rest in awareness of being.

Vishishtadvaita: The transcendence of the Supreme is affirmed while leaving room for later Purāṇic identification of that transcendent with Viṣṇu as Lord of all.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ishvari (Supreme Goddess)
• Para Shakti
• Supreme Reality (Para-tattva)

FAQs

What is the significance of being 'beyond speech and mind' in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks the Supreme as transcendent—ordinary language and conceptual thought cannot fully capture or define the highest reality, indicating an ultimate principle that exceeds empirical description.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme through 'knowledge of the wise' (jñāni-jñāna)?

He implies that the Supreme is not grasped by common cognition but is approached through refined spiritual insight—discriminative, contemplative knowing cultivated by realized seekers.

What is the theological importance of the 'Supreme Sovereign Goddess' (īśvarī parā) here?

She is presented as the highest, unconditioned sovereignty—consistent with Purāṇic Vedānta where the Supreme (often understood in relation to Vishnu and his śakti) is the ground of all reality and beyond limiting attributes.