Shloka 37

Devanagari script

भूतादिस् तु विकुर्वाणः शब्दतन्मात्रकं ततः ससर्ज शब्दतन्मात्राद् आकाशं शब्दलक्षणम्

Transliteration

bhūtādis tu vikurvāṇaḥ śabdatanmātrakaṃ tataḥ sasarja śabdatanmātrād ākāśaṃ śabdalakṣaṇam

Translation

Then Bhūtādi, as it underwent transformation, brought forth the subtle essence of sound. From that very sound–tanmātra it produced ākāśa (ether), whose defining attribute is sound.

Word by Word

• भूतादिः: bhūtādi (tāmasa ahaṃkāra)
• भूतादिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूतानाम् आदिः) (masc nom sg)

• तु: but/then
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• विकुर्वाणः: transforming/modifying
• विकुर्वाणः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + कृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन (masc nom sg; modifying भूतादिः)

• शब्दतन्मात्रकम्: the subtle element of sound
• शब्दतन्मात्रकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द + तन्मात्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शब्दस्य तन्मात्रम्) + -क (neut acc sg)

• ततः: therefrom
• ततः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादान/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘therefrom/then’)

• ससर्ज: created
• ससर्ज: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd sg; created/emitted)

• शब्दतन्मात्रात्: from the subtle sound-element
• शब्दतन्मात्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द + तन्मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शब्दस्य तन्मात्रम्) (neut abl sg)

• आकाशम्: ether/space
• आकाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neut acc sg)

• शब्दलक्षणम्: having sound as its characteristic
• शब्दलक्षणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शब्द + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शब्दः लक्षणं यस्य) (neut acc sg; adjective to आकाशम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The emergence of tanmātras and mahābhūtas beginning with sound and ether from Bhūtādi

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: From the tāmasa Bhūtādi arises the śabda-tanmātra, and from that subtle sound-essence emerges ākāśa whose defining quality is sound.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Reflect on how gross experience rests on subtle potentials; in meditation, trace sensory experience back to its subtler ‘tanmātra’ roots to cultivate detachment.

Vishishtadvaita: The graded manifestation from subtle to gross supports a real, ordered universe dependent on the Supreme, rather than an illusory chaos.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Śabda-tanmātra
• Ākāśa

FAQs

What is the significance of śabda-tanmātra in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents śabda-tanmātra (the subtle essence of sound) as the causal seed from which ākāśa (ether) arises, establishing the Purāṇic chain from subtle potential to gross element.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the emergence of ākāśa (ether)?

Parāśara states that when Bhūtādi transforms, it first produces the sound-tanmātra; from that subtle sound-principle, ākāśa is generated, defined specifically by sound.

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

Although the verse describes proximate causes (Bhūtādi, tanmātra, ākāśa), the broader Vishnu Purana framework treats this ordered evolution as occurring within Vishnu’s supreme governance—cosmic structure unfolding by His overarching reality and will.