Shloka 55

Devanagari script

सामानि जगतीछन्दः स्तोमं सप्तदशं तथा वैरूपम् अतिरात्रं च पश्चिमाद् असृजन् मुखात्

Transliteration

sāmāni jagatīchandaḥ stomaṃ saptadaśaṃ tathā vairūpam atirātraṃ ca paścimād asṛjan mukhāt

Translation

From the western face, He brought forth the Sāman-chants, the Jagatī metre, the seventeenfold stoma, and also the Vairūpa and Atirātra rites—thus did sacred sound and sacrificial order arise from the Supreme Person’s own mouth.

Word by Word

• सामानि: Sāman chants
• सामानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• जगतीछन्दः: Jagatī metre
• जगतीछन्दः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगती + छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (जगती-छन्दस् = Jagatī metre)

• स्तोमम्: stoma
• स्तोमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सप्तदशम्: seventeenfold / seventeen
• सप्तदशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numerical)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक

• वैरूपम्: Vairūpa (stoma/chant)
• वैरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अतिरात्रम्: Atirātra (rite)
• अतिरात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिरात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अति-रात्र)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• पश्चिमात्: from the west (side)
• पश्चिमात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• असृजन्: they created/emitted
• असृजन्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुखात्: from (the) mouth
• मुखात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Completion of Vedic chant-forms and rites within creation

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sacred chant and rite originate in the Supreme Person, so worship through sound is participation in the very fabric of creation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Integrate kīrtana/mantra-recitation (or mindful sacred reading) as a daily discipline, treating sound as a bridge to the divine.

Vishishtadvaita: Devotional sound (stotra/chant) is grounded in the Lord’s own manifestation; the means (upāya) is divinely given, not self-invented.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Supreme Person (Vishnu/Nārāyaṇa)
• Sāman (Sāma Veda)
• Jagatī (Vedic metre)
• Stoma
• Vairūpa
• Atirātra

FAQs

What is the significance of Vedic metres and chants being ‘created from the mouth’ in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents Veda as emanating from the Supreme Person—sacred speech (śabda) is not human invention but a cosmic principle that establishes dharma and ritual order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the structuring of yajña (sacrifice) in this passage?

By listing specific chants, metres, and rites (Sāman, Jagatī, stoma types, Atirātra), Parāśara shows that yajña is a revealed system—its components arise as part of creation’s lawful arrangement.

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

Vishnu is implied as the supreme source from whom Veda and yajña proceed, reinforcing a Vaishnava view that cosmic governance and spiritual means (ritual and revelation) depend on Him.