Shloka 2

Devanagari script

प्रजाः ससर्ज भगवान् ब्रह्मा नारायणात्मकः प्रजापतिपतिर् देवो यथा तन् मे निशामय

Transliteration

prajāḥ sasarja bhagavān brahmā nārāyaṇātmakaḥ prajāpatipatir devo yathā tan me niśāmaya

Translation

Listen as it truly happened: the Blessed Lord Brahmā—whose very essence is Nārāyaṇa—brought forth the beings. That divine Lord, sovereign of the Prajāpatis, began the work of creation.

Word by Word

• प्रजाः: creatures, progeny
• प्रजाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन — ‘creatures/subjects’

• ससर्ज: created
• ससर्ज: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नारायणात्मकः: whose essence is Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणात्मकः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘having the nature/essence of Nārāyaṇa’)

• प्रजापतिपतिः: lord of the Prajāpatis
• प्रजापतिपतिः: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘lord of the Prajāpatis’)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यथा: as, how
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative/relative adverb/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानवाचक

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘that’ (account/manner)

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचन (enclitic ‘me’: ‘of me/to me’) — here dative sense

• निशामय: listen
• निशामय: Kriyā (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + शम्/शम (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative); परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘listen, attend’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Account of Brahmā’s creation of beings as Prajāpati-lord, with Brahmā’s essence as Nārāyaṇa

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative, explanatory

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brahmā, as lord of the Prajāpatis, creates beings, yet his very self is Nārāyaṇa—signaling that all creative power is derivative of the Supreme.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Perform one’s roles as stewardship under God (īśvara-bhāva), offering outcomes back to the Supreme and avoiding possessiveness over ‘my’ achievements.

Vishishtadvaita: The verse supports qualified non-dualism by depicting differentiated agents (Brahmā, Prajāpatis, beings) whose existence and capacity are grounded in Nārāyaṇa as their inner essence and ultimate cause.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Narayana

FAQs

What is the significance of Brahmā being described as “Nārāyaṇātmakaḥ” in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames Brahmā’s creative power as dependent on and expressive of Nārāyaṇa, presenting Vishnu as the supreme ground of cosmogony rather than a separate, equal deity.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the start of creation (Sarga) here?

Parāśara introduces creation as the emanation of beings through Brahmā, emphasizing that Brahmā functions as the divine lord of progenitors while remaining rooted in Nārāyaṇa’s essence.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Vishnu/Nārāyaṇa is implied as the ultimate sovereign reality, with Brahmā’s role portrayed as an instrument or manifestation of that supreme principle.