Shloka 52

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

Devanagari script

निमित्तमात्रं मुक्त्वैकं नान्यत् किंचिद् अपेक्ष्यते नीयते तपतां श्रेष्ठ स्वशक्त्या वस्तु वस्तुताम्

Transliteration

nimittamātraṃ muktvaikaṃ nānyat kiṃcid apekṣyate nīyate tapatāṃ śreṣṭha svaśaktyā vastu vastutām

Translation

Apart from the One—who is only the instrumental occasion—nothing else whatsoever is required. O best of ascetics, by His own power a thing is led into its very ‘thingness,’ into the state of being what it truly is.

Word by Word

• निमित्तमात्रम्: mere instrument/cause
• निमित्तमात्रम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमित्त + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('केवलं निमित्तम्'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• मुक्त्वा: having left aside, excepting
• मुक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुच् (धातु) → मुक्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive); त्यक्त्वा/वर्जयित्वा (having left aside)

• एकम्: one, single
• एकम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (निमित्तमात्रम्)

• न: not
• न: Nipāta (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र कर्म-रूपे द्वितीया (anything else)

• नान्यत्: nothing else
• नान्यत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न + अन्यत् (सन्धि)
• Form: निषेधसहितम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (anything)

• अपेक्ष्यते: is required/depended upon
• अपेक्ष्यते: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: 'is depended on/required')

• नीयते: is led/brought
• नीयते: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is led/brought)

• तपताम्: of ascetics
• तपताम्: Sambandha (Genitive of address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तप् (धातु) → तपत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, बहुवचन; 'those who perform austerity'

• श्रेष्ठ: O best (one)
• श्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; संबोधनम्

• स्वशक्त्या: by its own power
• स्वशक्त्या: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('स्वस्य शक्तिः'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• वस्तु: a thing, reality
• वस्तु: Karta/Predicate nominal (Subject/predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ/विधेय-रूपे

• वस्तुताम्: thingness, true nature
• वस्तुताम्: Karma (Result/goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्तुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Dependence of all becoming on the One; how entities attain their natures

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: upanishadic

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nothing besides the One needs to be relied upon: by His own śakti, entities are led into their ‘thingness’—their determinate reality and function.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Shift reliance from external supports to inner surrender and steadiness, seeing all capacities as grounded in the Lord’s sustaining power.

Vishishtadvaita: Antaryāmin emphasis: the Lord’s śakti determines the real natures of beings from within, supporting immanence-with-transcendence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Parāśara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of ‘nimitta-mātra’ (mere instrumental cause) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse stresses that the Supreme (Vishnu) does not rely on any other independent factor; He alone is the decisive cause, and through His śakti the world and beings attain real existence and definition.

How does Sage Parāśara explain causality and agency here?

Parāśara teaches Maitreya that no external support is needed for manifestation—entities become what they are because the Lord’s own power brings them into their proper state and function.

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

Vishnu is presented as the sovereign Supreme Reality whose inherent power governs becoming and order, making Him the ultimate ground of creation and the source of all actuality.