Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

इमं चोदाहरन्त्य् अत्र श्लोकं नारायणं प्रति ब्रह्मस्वरूपिणं देवं जगतः प्रभवाप्ययम्

Transliteration

imaṃ codāharanty atra ślokaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ prati brahmasvarūpiṇaṃ devaṃ jagataḥ prabhavāpyayam

Translation

And here they recite this verse in praise of Nārāyaṇa—of that God of Brahman-nature, who is the universe’s arising and also its passing away.

Word by Word

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• उदाहरन्ति: they cite, they quote
• उदाहरन्ति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आहृ (धातु) (उपसर्ग: उद् + आ)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• श्लोकम्: verse
• श्लोकम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: प्रति-सम्बन्ध (Target; prati)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्रति: towards, about
• प्रति: सम्बन्ध (Relational)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद (preposition) — 'towards/about'

• ब्रह्मस्वरूपिणम्: of Brahman-form
• ब्रह्मस्वरूपिणम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म + स्वरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; विशेषण (देवम्/नारायणम्)

• देवम्: the god, deity
• देवम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

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

• प्रभव: origin
• प्रभव: विशेषण-आधार (Qualifier base)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (समासे पूर्वपद)

• अप्ययम्: and dissolution
• अप्ययम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; (प्रभव + अप्यय) द्वन्द्व-समासार्थः, परन्तु पदरूपेण सन्धिः

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; referring to an authoritative traditional citation)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Traditional śloka-citation praising Nārāyaṇa as origin and dissolution of the cosmos.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nārāyaṇa—Brahman in essence—is both the universe’s coming-to-be and its returning-to-rest, the ultimate cause of manifestation and dissolution.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: See beginnings and endings as movements within the Lord’s governance; cultivate surrender (śaraṇāgati) amid change.

Vishishtadvaita: Strong jagat-kāraṇatva: the universe is real as His mode (prakāra), arising and subsiding in Him without negating His transcendence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Brahman
• Jagat (Universe)

FAQs

What is the significance of calling Nārāyaṇa “brahma-svarūpiṇam” in the Vishnu Purana?

It identifies Nārāyaṇa not merely as a deity within the cosmos but as Brahman itself—the supreme, foundational reality underlying all existence.

How does Sage Parāśara explain creation and dissolution in this context?

By presenting Nārāyaṇa as both prabhava (the universe’s emergence) and apyaya (its withdrawal), Parāśara frames cosmic cycles as dependent on the Supreme Lord’s sovereignty.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

The verse asserts a distinctly Vaiṣṇava metaphysics: Vishnu/Nārāyaṇa is the ultimate cause and end of the cosmos, supporting later Vedāntic readings that treat him as the Supreme Reality.