Shloka 33

वासुदेवस्वरूपनिरूपणं—सर्गक्रमश्च

Vāsudeva’s Nature and the Ordered Process of Creation

Devanagari script

गुणसाम्यात् ततस् तस्मात् क्षेत्रज्ञाधिष्ठितान् मुने गुणव्यञ्जनसंभूतिः सर्गकाले द्विजोत्तम

Transliteration

guṇasāmyāt tatas tasmāt kṣetrajñādhiṣṭhitān mune guṇavyañjanasaṃbhūtiḥ sargakāle dvijottama

Translation

Then, O sage—when the guṇas come into equilibrium and thereafter are presided over by the kṣetrajña, the conscious Knower of the Field—there arises, at the time of creation, the manifestation and differentiation of the guṇas, O best of the twice-born.

Word by Word

• गुण-साम्यात्: from the equilibrium of the guṇas
• गुण-साम्यात्: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गुणानां साम्यम्)

• ततः: thereupon
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-प्रभृति (from that/thereupon)

• तस्मात्: from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; पञ्चमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• क्षेत्रज्ञ-अधिष्ठितान्: (those) presided over by the knower of the field
• क्षेत्रज्ञ-अधिष्ठितान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣetrajña (प्रातिपदिक) + adhiṣṭhita (कृदन्त; अधि-स्था धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (क्षेत्रज्ञेन अधिष्ठिताः)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• गुण-व्यञ्जन-संभूतिः: the manifestation/origination of the guṇas
• गुण-व्यञ्जन-संभूतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + vyañjana (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhūti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गुणानां व्यञ्जनं तस्मात् संभूतिः)

• सर्ग-काले: at the time of creation
• सर्ग-काले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्गस्य काले)

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (द्विजानाम् उत्तमः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How guṇa-equilibrium and the presiding kṣetrajña lead to guṇa-manifestation at creation.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: At creation, from the prior balance of the guṇas, when they are overseen by the kṣetrajña, the guṇas become expressed and differentiated, initiating further evolution.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Notice how awareness (kṣetrajña-like witnessing) changes the play of mental qualities; cultivate sāttvika habits to guide differentiation toward clarity.

Vishishtadvaita: The kṣetrajña’s presiding is read theistically as the Lord’s inner governance of prakṛti, not an independent puruṣa separate from Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrajña (the Knower of the Field)
• Guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas)

FAQs

What is the significance of guṇa-sāmya (equilibrium of the guṇas) in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks the latent, undifferentiated condition of prakṛti; from that equilibrium, creation proceeds when the guṇas become manifest and differentiated under conscious oversight.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of kṣetrajña in creation?

He presents kṣetrajña as the presiding knower/conscious principle by whose superintendence the guṇas become expressed, enabling the ordered unfolding of sarga (creation).

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though not named in the verse, the teaching aligns with Vishnu as the supreme governing reality: creation is not random but proceeds through the guṇas under higher conscious sovereignty.