Shloka 22

वासुदेवस्वरूपनिरूपणं—सर्गक्रमश्च

Vāsudeva’s Nature and the Ordered Process of Creation

Devanagari script

वेदवादविदो विद्वन् नियता ब्रह्मवादिनः पठन्ति चैतम् एवार्थं प्रधानप्रतिपादकम्

Transliteration

vedavādavido vidvan niyatā brahmavādinaḥ paṭhanti caitam evārthaṃ pradhānapratipādakam

Translation

O wise one, the learned interpreters of the Veda—disciplined exponents of Brahman—recite precisely this teaching, for it sets forth the meaning of Pradhāna, the primordial ground of manifestation.

Word by Word

• वेदवादविदः: knowers of Vedic doctrine
• वेदवादविदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + वाद (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (धातु) + क्विप्/क्विन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (वेदवादं विदन्ति इति) (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; agent-noun)

• विद्वन्: O learned one
• विद्वन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद् (धातु) + वत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participial stem used as vocative)

• नियताः: disciplined, restrained
• नियताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; adjective)

• ब्रह्मवादिनः: expounders of Brahman
• ब्रह्मवादिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः वादिनः) (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• पठन्ति: recite
• पठन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम् (Present, 3rd person, Plural, Parasmaipada)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एतम्: this
• एतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अर्थम्: meaning, purport
• अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• प्रधानप्रतिपादकम्: expounding Pradhāna
• प्रधानप्रतिपादकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतिपादक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रधानस्य प्रतिपादकम्) (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; adjective qualifying 'अर्थम्')

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Scriptural authority for the doctrine of Pradhāna and Brahman

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The teaching about Pradhāna as the primordial ground is upheld by disciplined Vedic exegetes and Brahman-knowers as a faithful summary of Vedic meaning.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Ground metaphysical inquiry in reliable śāstra and disciplined study rather than speculation; seek qualified teachers and consistent hermeneutics.

Vishishtadvaita: Positions cosmology as śāstra-rooted: prakṛti (pradhāna) is meaningful only in relation to Brahman/Viṣṇu as its ruler and cause.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Brahman

FAQs

What is the significance of Pradhāna in the Vishnu Purana?

Here Pradhāna is presented as a core cosmological principle whose meaning is affirmed through disciplined Vedic recitation and interpretation, grounding creation-teaching in scriptural authority.

How does Sage Parāśara justify this doctrine to Maitreya?

Parāśara points to the tradition of learned Vedic interpreters (brahmavādins) who recite and teach this very purport, implying it is not speculative but rooted in Vedic exposition.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Even when discussing Pradhāna, the Vishnu Purana frames cosmology within a Brahman-oriented discourse that ultimately supports Vishnu’s supremacy as the highest reality overseeing and transcending primordial causality.