Shloka 44

वाराहावतारः (भूम्युद्धारः) — Varāha, the Raising of the Earth and the Recommencement of Creation

Devanagari script

सर्गप्रवृत्तिर् भवतो जगताम् उपकारिणी भवत्व् एषा नमस् ते ऽस्तु शं नो देह्य् अब्जलोचन

Transliteration

sargapravṛttir bhavato jagatām upakāriṇī bhavatv eṣā namas te 'stu śaṃ no dehy abjalocana

Translation

May this impulse of creation that proceeds from You be truly beneficent to all worlds. Salutations to You. O lotus-eyed Lord, grant us auspiciousness and well-being.

Word by Word

• सर्गप्रवृत्तिः: the activity of creation
• सर्गप्रवृत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग + प्रवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्गस्य प्रवृत्तिः)

• भवतः: of you
• भवतः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• जगताम्: of the worlds; of beings
• जगताम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• उपकारिणी: beneficial; helpful
• उपकारिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपकारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सर्गप्रवृत्तिः)

• भवतु: let it be
• भवतु: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एषा: this (she/this act)
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayoga (Salutation/प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपातः

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) एकवचन; ‘तुभ्यम्/ते’

• अस्तु: may it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive use), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शम्: welfare
• शम्: Prayojana/Phala (Benediction/फल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शम् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः)
• Form: अव्यय; मंगलार्थक-निपातः

• नः: for us; our
• नः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) बहुवचन; ‘अस्माकम्/नः’

• देहि: grant
• देहि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अब्जलोचन: O lotus-eyed one
• अब्जलोचन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्ज + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (within the Parāśara–Maitreya dialogue, voicing a hymn/prayer to Vishnu)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How creation proceeds from the Lord and how it becomes loka-upakāriṇī (beneficent to worlds).

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Avatara Context

Avatara: Varaha

Purpose: To make the Lord-originated creative impulse (sarga-pravṛtti) beneficial by restoring the earth’s stability for the worlds.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: The welfare of the lokas through orderly creation and a stable terrestrial foundation.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sarga originates from the Lord and is meant to be upakāriṇī—ordered and beneficial to all worlds—when aligned with His will.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Interpret personal action as participation in dharmic order: seek that one’s ‘pravṛtti’ becomes beneficial to others through surrender and ethical restraint.

Vishishtadvaita: Creation is not illusory dismissal here but purposeful divine activity for loka-kalyāṇa, consistent with a world that is real as God’s body (śarīra) and supported by Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Sarga (creation) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Sarga as an activity proceeding from Vishnu that should be “upakāriṇī”—intrinsically for the welfare of all worlds—showing creation as purposeful and ordered, not random.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of Vishnu in cosmic order here?

By addressing Vishnu directly as the source of sargapravṛtti (the commencement of creation) and requesting śaṃ (auspicious welfare), Parāśara presents Vishnu as the sovereign governor whose will makes creation beneficial and harmonious.

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

Vishnu is invoked as the Supreme Lord whose creative power sustains universal good; the prayer underscores a Vaishnava view of creation as guided by divine sovereignty and oriented toward the well-being of beings.