Shloka 59

वासुदेवस्वरूपनिरूपणं—सर्गक्रमश्च

Vāsudeva’s Nature and the Ordered Process of Creation

Devanagari script

अव्यक्तेनावृतो ब्रह्मंस् तैः सर्वैः सहितो महान् एभिर् आवरणैर् अण्डं सप्तभिः प्राकृतैर् वृतम् नालिकेरफलस्यान्तर् बीजं बाह्यदलैर् इव

Transliteration

avyaktenāvṛto brahmaṃs taiḥ sarvaiḥ sahito mahān ebhir āvaraṇair aṇḍaṃ saptabhiḥ prākṛtair vṛtam nālikeraphalasyāntar bījaṃ bāhyadalair iva

Translation

O Brahmin, the Great (Cosmic Principle) together with all those constituents lies veiled by the Unmanifest. In this way the cosmic egg is enclosed by seven material coverings—just as, within a coconut, the seed is wrapped round by its outer layers.

Word by Word

• अव्यक्तेन: by the unmanifest (principle)
• अव्यक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (instrumental singular)

• आवृतः: covered
• आवृतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + वृ (धातु) → आवृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि (past participle; ‘covered’)

• ब्रह्मन्: O brahmin
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन (vocative singular)

• तैः: by those
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• सर्वैः: all
• सर्वैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (instrumental plural adjective)

• सहितः: accompanied (together)
• सहितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + इ (धातु) → सहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (‘accompanied/associated’)

• महान्: great
• महान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (masculine nominative singular adjective)

• एभिः: by these
• एभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• आवरणैः: coverings/envelopes
• आवरणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• अण्डम्: the cosmic egg
• अण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि कर्तृस्थानी (subject of participial predication)

• सप्तभिः: by seven
• सप्तभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (instrumental plural numeral adjective)

• प्राकृतैः: material/prakritic
• प्राकृतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (instrumental plural adjective)

• वृतम्: enclosed
• वृतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु) → वृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि (past participle; ‘enclosed’)

• नालिकेरफलस्य: of a coconut fruit
• नालिकेरफलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नालिकेर (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (genitive singular)

• अन्तः: inside
• अन्तः: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (indeclinable ‘inside/within’)

• बीजम्: seed/kernel
• बीजम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (nominative singular)

• बाह्यदलैः: by outer layers
• बाह्यदलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक) + दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental plural; ‘by outer layers’)

• इव: like/as
• इव: Sambandha (Simile-marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (indeclinable particle of comparison)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How mahat and other constituents are veiled by avyakta, and the simile explaining the seven prākṛta coverings

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mahat and its associated constituents are ultimately veiled by the Unmanifest (avyakta), while the brahmāṇḍa is wrapped in seven material coverings—like a coconut seed enclosed by successive husks.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Use the ‘coconut’ analogy to practice viveka: peel back identification from gross to subtle layers (body, senses, mind, ego) toward the unmanifest ground, offering each layer to the Lord.

Vishishtadvaita: Distinguishes prakṛti’s layered coverings from the Lord who transcends them, yet implies the cosmos exists within divine governance—supporting transcendence without denying real embodiment of the world.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Prakṛti (Avyakta)
• Brahmāṇḍa (Cosmic Egg)

FAQs

What is the significance of the seven coverings of the cosmic egg in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that the brahmāṇḍa is surrounded by seven prākṛta (material) layers, emphasizing a structured, layered cosmos in which creation is enclosed within progressively subtler material envelopes.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of Avyakta (the Unmanifest) here?

Parāśara describes Avyakta as the veil that covers the Great Principle (Mahat) and the associated constituents, indicating that manifest creation is wrapped and conditioned by unmanifest prakṛti.

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

Even while describing prakṛti, Mahat, and the brahmāṇḍa, the Vishnu Purana’s framework treats these as ordered realities within the sovereignty of the Supreme—Vishnu as the ultimate ground and governor of cosmic order.