Shloka 35

Devanagari script

उत्पत्तिस्थितिनाशानाम् अहेतुं हेतुम् ईश्वरम् प्रजापतिपतिं विष्णुम् अनन्तम् अपराजितम्

Transliteration

utpattisthitināśānām ahetuṃ hetum īśvaram prajāpatipatiṃ viṣṇum anantam aparājitam

Translation

I bow to Vishnu, the sovereign Lord—the cause of creation, preservation, and dissolution, yet Himself without cause; Master of the Prajāpatis, all-pervading, endless, and unconquered.

Word by Word

• उत्पत्ति-स्थिति-नाशानाम्: of (all) creations, preservations, and destructions
• उत्पत्ति-स्थिति-नाशानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक) + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वसमासः (collective copulative)

• अहेतुम्: the causeless one
• अहेतुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• हेतुम्: the cause
• हेतुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रजापति-पतिम्: the lord of Prajāpatis
• प्रजापति-पतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अनन्तम्: endless
• अनन्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अपराजितम्: unconquered
• अपराजितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपराजित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nature of the supreme Lord as the causeless cause behind creation, preservation, and dissolution

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu alone is the īśvara who is the cause of origination, maintenance, and dissolution while Himself remaining causeless and unsurpassed.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate the Lord as the ultimate ground of all change to cultivate steadiness and surrender amid life’s cycles.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms the Supreme Person as both nimitta and upādāna-kāraṇa of the jagat, while remaining ananta and aprajita.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being called the 'uncaused cause' (ahetu-hetu) in the Vishnu Purana?

It asserts Vishnu’s absolute supremacy: all cosmic processes depend on Him, while He depends on nothing—placing Him beyond the chain of material causation.

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

He frames them as functions rooted in Vishnu’s lordship—Vishnu is the governing ground of all three, not merely a participant within the cosmos.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu 'Ananta' and 'Aparājita' here?

It emphasizes that the Supreme Lord is infinite and invincible—His being and rule are not limited by time, space, or opposing powers.