Shloka 46

वासुदेवस्वरूपनिरूपणं—सर्गक्रमश्च

Vāsudeva’s Nature and the Ordered Process of Creation

Devanagari script

तैजसानीन्द्रियाण्य् आहुर् देवा वैकारिका दश एकादशं मनश् चात्र देवा वैकारिकाः स्मृताः

Transliteration

taijasānīndriyāṇy āhur devā vaikārikā daśa ekādaśaṃ manaś cātra devā vaikārikāḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

The sense-faculties are declared to be taijasa; and their presiding deities are remembered as the ten vaikārika (sāttvika) gods—while, as the eleventh, the mind (manas) too is counted here among the vaikārika.

Word by Word

• taijasāni: taijasa (from rajas)
• taijasāni: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: taijasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (इन्द्रियाणि)

• indriyāṇi: sense-faculties
• indriyāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• āhuḥ: they say
• āhuḥ: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• devāḥ: the gods / the learned
• devāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• vaikārikāḥ: vaikārika
• vaikārikāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaikārika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (देवाः)

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Saṅkhyā (Numerical predicate/संख्या)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (numeral used predicatively)

• ekādaśam: the eleventh
• ekādaśam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekādaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्या (मनः)

• manaḥ: mind
• manaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

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

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: here/in this context)

• devāḥ: the gods / the learned
• devāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• vaikārikāḥ: vaikārika
• vaikārikāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaikārika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (देवाः)

• smṛtāḥ: are regarded (as)
• smṛtāḥ: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛta (प्रातिपदिक; √smṛ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) — कर्मणि-प्रयोगे विधेय (are considered)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Classification of indriyas and their presiding deities; placement of manas as the eleventh

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: systematic

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The sense-faculties are taijasa in origin, while their presiding deities are vaikārika (sāttvika), and mind is counted as the eleventh within the vaikārika order.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Cultivate sāttvika discipline (food, conduct, attention) to steady mind and senses, recognizing higher governance over faculties.

Vishishtadvaita: Indriyas and their devatā-presiders function as the Lord’s ordered body; He is the antaryāmin coordinating cognition and action through them.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Indriyas (sense faculties)
• Manas (mind)
• Ahaṃkāra (Vaikārika/Taijasa context)

FAQs

What is the significance of taijasa indriyas in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse classifies the sense-faculties as taijasa—emphasizing that the instruments of perception and action arise from a luminous, energizing principle within cosmic evolution.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of devas regarding the senses and mind?

He states that the presiding powers (devas) connected with these faculties are vaikārika, counting ten for the senses, and adding mind as the eleventh—showing an ordered governance of inner and outer functions.

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

Even while detailing Sāṃkhya-like categories, the Purana frames cosmic order as ultimately dependent on Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty, under which prakṛti’s evolutes and their presiding deities function.