Shloka 9

Devanagari script

ॐ नमः परमार्थार्थ स्थूलसूक्ष्म क्षराक्षर व्यक्ताव्यक्त कलातीत सकलेश निरञ्जन

Transliteration

oṃ namaḥ paramārthārtha sthūlasūkṣma kṣarākṣara vyaktāvyakta kalātīta sakaleśa nirañjana

Translation

Om—salutations to You, the very purport of the highest truth: the gross and the subtle; the perishing and the imperishable; the manifest and the unmanifest; beyond time and its divisions; Lord of all; stainless and untouched by taint.

Word by Word

• ॐ: Om
• ॐ: Sambandha (Invocation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: प्रणव-नाद (sacred syllable), अव्यय

• नमः: salutation (to)
• नमः: Sampradana (Recipient of salutation/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात/अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; नमः + चतुर्थी (salutation)

• परमार्थ-अर्थ: O meaning/essence of the highest truth
• परमार्थ-अर्थ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (परमार्थस्य अर्थः)

• स्थूल-सूक्ष्म: O gross and subtle (one)
• स्थूल-सूक्ष्म: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक) + सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (स्थूलश्च सूक्ष्मश्च)

• क्षर-अक्षर: O perishable and imperishable
• क्षर-अक्षर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (perishable and imperishable)

• व्यक्त-अव्यक्त: O manifest and unmanifest
• व्यक्त-अव्यक्त: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (manifest and unmanifest)

• कलातीत: O transcending time/parts (kalā)
• कलातीत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक) + अतीत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कलां अतीतः)

• सकल-ईश: O Lord of all
• सकल-ईश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सकलस्य ईशः)

• निरञ्जन: O stainless/pure one
• निरञ्जन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; a doxological salutation within the discourse)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Lord is the highest purport of truth, encompassing and transcending all dualities—gross/subtle, kṣara/akṣara, manifest/unmanifest, and time.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Use this litany as a contemplative map: when the mind clings to any category, remember the Lord as its ground and beyond it, and return to surrender (namaḥ).

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms a personal Supreme (Īśvara) who is both immanent in all states (vyakta/avyakta) and transcendent (kalātīta), consistent with qualified non-dualism rather than impersonal monism.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Teaching

Bhakti Quality: Tattva-stuti: devotion expressed through metaphysical epithets and surrender (namaḥ)

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of calling Vishnu both manifest (vyakta) and unmanifest (avyakta) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Vishnu as the ground of both the visible cosmos and the unconditioned source behind it—supporting a theology where the Supreme is immanent in creation yet also transcendent beyond it.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the idea of kṣara and akṣara here?

By pairing kṣara (changeable, perishing forms) with akṣara (unchanging, imperishable principle), the hymn frames Vishnu as the ultimate reality that includes and governs both the mutable world and the eternal foundation.

What is the theological importance of describing Vishnu as kalātīta and nirañjana?

Kalātīta asserts Vishnu’s sovereignty beyond time and cosmic periods, while nirañjana affirms His absolute purity—unlimited by material qualities—central to Vaishnava Vedanta’s portrayal of the Supreme Lord.