Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

निमित्तमात्रम् एवासौ सृज्यानां सर्गकर्मणि प्रधानकारणीभूता यतो वै सृज्यशक्तयः

Transliteration

nimittamātram evāsau sṛjyānāṃ sargakarmaṇi pradhānakāraṇībhūtā yato vai sṛjyaśaktayaḥ

Translation

In the act of creation for all that is to be brought forth, He is indeed only the instrumental cause; for the powers by which beings are produced arise from Pradhāna, which stands as the primary material cause.

Word by Word

• निमित्तमात्रम्: mere instrument/cause
• निमित्तमात्रम्: Pradhāna-predicative (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमित्त + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('केवलं निमित्तम्'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (अत्र विधेय-रूपे प्रथमा)

• एव: only, indeed
• एव: Nipāta (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle: only/indeed)

• असौ: he
• असौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सृज्यानाम्: of the created beings/things
• सृज्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृज् (धातु) → सृज्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त; 'to be created'); षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; जन्यवाचक

• सर्गकर्मणि: in the act of creation
• सर्गकर्मणि: Adhikaraṇa (Domain/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('सर्गस्य कर्म'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• प्रधानकारणीभूता: having become the primary cause
• प्रधानकारणीभूता: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रधान + कारणी + भू (धातु) → भूता (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('प्रधानं कारणं भूता'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सृज्यशक्तयः)

• यतः: from which, because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (from which/because)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipāta (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeed, surely)

• सृज्यशक्तयः: creative powers/energies
• सृज्यशक्तयः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृज्य + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('सृज्यस्य शक्तयः' / 'सृजन-शक्तयः'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Causality in creation: nimitta vs upādāna; role of Pradhāna

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: analytical

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In creation, the Lord is described as nimitta (instrumental) cause, while Pradhāna is identified as the upādāna (material) basis from which productive powers arise.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Discriminate causes and conditions in experience to reduce confusion and strengthen contemplative clarity.

Vishishtadvaita: Even where Pradhāna is spoken of as material cause, it functions as the Lord’s dependent śakti—preserving Vishnu’s ultimate sovereignty in qualified non-dualism.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Pradhana (Prakriti)

FAQs

What is the significance of Pradhāna in the Vishnu Purana’s creation doctrine?

This verse frames Pradhāna (Prakriti) as the material ground from which creative capacities emerge, while the Lord presides as the enabling instrument of Sarga.

How does Sage Parāśara explain causality in creation here?

He distinguishes the Lord as nimitta (instrumental cause) and Pradhāna as the source of sṛjya-śakti (productive power), presenting a layered model of cosmic origination.

What is Lord Vishnu’s theological importance in this context?

Vishnu is portrayed as the supreme governor of the creative process—transcendent yet operative—whose sovereignty orders creation even when material potency is attributed to Prakriti.