Shloka 60

वासुदेवस्वरूपनिरूपणं—सर्गक्रमश्च

Vāsudeva’s Nature and the Ordered Process of Creation

Devanagari script

जुषन् रजोगुणं तत्र स्वयं विश्वेश्वरो हरिः ब्रह्मा भूत्वास्य जगतो विसृष्टौ संप्रवर्तते

Transliteration

juṣan rajoguṇaṃ tatra svayaṃ viśveśvaro hariḥ brahmā bhūtvāsya jagato visṛṣṭau saṃpravartate

Translation

There, Hari Himself—the Sovereign Lord of the universe—embraces the guna of rajas; and, becoming Brahmā, He sets in motion the emanation and ordered projection of this world.

Word by Word

• जुषन्: enjoying; resorting to
• जुषन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जुष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle), प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; धातु: जुष् (सेवने/प्रीतौ)

• रजोगुणम्: the quality of rajas
• रजोगुणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: रजसः गुणः

• तत्र: there; in that context
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मवाचक/निजवाचक (emphatic reflexive)

• विश्वेश्वरः: Lord of the universe
• विश्वेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: विश्वस्य ईश्वरः

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), धातु: भू (भवने)

• अस्य: of this; of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual); सर्वनाम

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• विसृष्टौ: in the creation; in the act of emanation
• विसृष्टौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विसृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• संप्रवर्तते: sets in motion; proceeds
• संप्रवर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+प्र+वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the one Lord assumes the guṇas to create, preserve, and dissolve the world

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The one Hari, remaining supreme, adopts rajas and functions as Brahmā to initiate the ordered projection of the cosmos.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate divine agency behind all creativity and treat worldly activity as participation in a larger sacred order.

Vishishtadvaita: Vishnu is the single sovereign cause who manifests functional forms (Brahmā, etc.) without losing transcendence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Vyuha Form: Vasudeva

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Brahmā
• Viśveśvara (Lord of the universe)
• Rajas guṇa

FAQs

What is the significance of rajas-guṇa in this Vishnu Purana verse?

Rajas is presented as the activating principle: when the Supreme Lord embraces rajas, creation (visṛṣṭi) begins as a dynamic unfolding rather than a random event.

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

Parāśara frames Brahmā as a form/function assumed by Hari: Vishnu becomes Brahmā for the purpose of initiating the world’s projection, keeping ultimate sovereignty with Vishnu.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

The verse asserts Vishnu as Viśveśvara—the Supreme Reality who governs the guṇas and even the creator-role—supporting a Vaishnava reading where all cosmic functions arise from Him.