Shloka 12

वासुदेवस्वरूपनिरूपणं—सर्गक्रमश्च

Vāsudeva’s Nature and the Ordered Process of Creation

Devanagari script

सर्वत्रासौ समस्तं च वसत्य् अत्रेति वै यतः ततः स वासुदेवेति विद्वद्भिः परिपठ्यते

Transliteration

sarvatrāsau samastaṃ ca vasaty atreti vai yataḥ tataḥ sa vāsudeveti vidvadbhiḥ paripaṭhyate

Translation

Because He abides everywhere, and because the entirety of all that exists dwells in Him—therefore the wise recite and know Him as “Vāsudeva.”

Word by Word

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• असौ: he (that one)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• समस्तम्: the whole (universe), all
• समस्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वसति: dwells, resides
• वसति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/इति-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/सम्भावनार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• यतः: because, since
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (causal indeclinable: 'because/since')

• ततः: therefore
• ततः: Hetu-phala (Result/फल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस् (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-अन्त अव्यय; तदनन्तर/तस्मात्-अर्थे (therefore/from that)

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

• वासुदेव-इति: (called) Vāsudeva
• वासुदेव-इति: Samjna (Name/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + इति (अव्यय)
• Form: ‘वासुदेव’ पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘इति’ उद्धरण-अव्यय

• विद्वद्भिः: by the learned
• विद्वद्भिः: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक; √विद् धातु से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• परिपठ्यते: is recited/declared
• परिपठ्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√पठ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Meaning of the name Vāsudeva as all-pervading indweller and the locus of all existence

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: He is called Vāsudeva because He dwells everywhere and all beings dwell in Him, establishing universal dependence upon the Lord.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Practice seeing the Divine presence in all beings and situations, cultivating reverence and non-harm in daily conduct.

Vishishtadvaita: Explicitly supports immanence (antaryāmitva) and the world-in-God relation central to Viśiṣṭādvaita (cit-acit as His modes).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Vasudeva

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Vyuha Form: Vasudeva

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Vasudeva (as a divine epithet)

FAQs

What is the significance of the name “Vāsudeva” in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse defines “Vāsudeva” as the One who pervades all places and in whom the entire cosmos resides—an epithet expressing Vishnu’s absolute sovereignty and all-pervading presence.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme’s relation to the universe here?

Parāśara presents a twofold relation: the Supreme is present everywhere (immanence), and all beings and worlds abide within Him (the universe as dependent on the Supreme).

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

Vishnu is affirmed as the Supreme Reality—both the indwelling presence in all and the ultimate support in whom all existence is contained, aligning with core Vaishnava metaphysics.