Shloka 40

वासुदेवस्वरूपनिरूपणं—सर्गक्रमश्च

Vāsudeva’s Nature and the Ordered Process of Creation

Devanagari script

ततो वायुर् विकुर्वाणो रूपमात्रं ससर्ज ह ज्योतिर् उत्पद्यते वायोस् तद् रूपगुणम् उच्यते

Transliteration

tato vāyur vikurvāṇo rūpamātraṃ sasarja ha jyotir utpadyate vāyos tad rūpaguṇam ucyate

Translation

Then Vāyu, undergoing transformation, brought forth only the subtle principle of form (rūpa-tanmātra). From that air arises tejas, light—declared to be the form-quality (rūpa-guṇa) associated with Vāyu.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb ‘then/from that’

• वायुः: wind (vāyu)
• वायुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन = Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विकुर्वाणः: transforming, modifying
• विकुर्वाणः: Karta (Agentive qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + कृ (धातु) → विकुर्वाण (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वायुः) = P.A.P., masc nom sg, qualifying vāyu

• रूपमात्रम्: mere form (form-only)
• रूपमात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रूपस्य मात्रम् = only form), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन = Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ससर्ज: created, produced
• ससर्ज: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद = Perfect, 3rd person, singular, active

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle) = emphatic particle

• ज्योतिः: light, fire (tejas)
• ज्योतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन = Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• उत्पद्यते: arises, is produced
• उत्पद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद = Present, 3rd person, singular, middle/passive sense ‘arises’

• वायोः: of wind
• वायोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन = Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (रूपगुणम्) = Pronoun adj., neut nom/acc sg

• रूपगुणम्: the quality of form
• रूपगुणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रूपस्य गुणः = quality of form), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन = Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• उच्यते: is called, is said
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive) = Present, 3rd person, singular, passive ‘is said/called’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Process of sarga: evolution of subtle elements (tanmātras) and gross elements

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: From vāyu’s transformation arises tejas, with rūpa (form/visibility) articulated as the operative guṇa in this causal sequence.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Contemplate layered causality—trace experiences back from sense-objects to subtler principles to reduce reactivity and cultivate discernment.

Vishishtadvaita: The ordered evolution implies a supreme intelligent cause who governs prakṛti without being reduced to it.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vayu
• Jyoti (Tejas)

FAQs

What is the significance of light (jyoti/tejas) arising from air (vāyu) in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks a specific step in the Purana’s creation-sequence where one principle transforms and gives rise to another, showing an ordered, law-governed unfolding of the cosmos.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the appearance of qualities like form (rūpa) in creation?

He describes creation as vikāra (transformation): a prior principle modifies and manifests a distinct tanmātra/guṇa (here, rūpa), which becomes the basis for the next emergent principle.

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

Even when the verse speaks in terms of elemental causation, the Vishnu Purana frames the entire sequence as operating under the sovereignty of the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—who is the ultimate ground of order and manifestation.