Shloka 36

दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः

Devanagari script

प्रधानपुंसोर् अजयोः कारणं कार्यभूतयोः प्रणतार्तिहरं विष्णुं स वः श्रेयो विधास्यति

Transliteration

pradhānapuṃsor ajayoḥ kāraṇaṃ kāryabhūtayoḥ praṇatārtiharaṃ viṣṇuṃ sa vaḥ śreyo vidhāsyati

Translation

May Lord Vishnu—unborn, yet the cause of Pradhāna and Puruṣa, the ground of all effects, and the remover of the distress of those who bow—ordain for you the highest good.

Word by Word

• प्रधान-पुंसोः: of Pradhāna and Puruṣa
• प्रधान-पुंसोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक) + पुंस्/पुम्स् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रधानम्) + पुंलिङ्ग (पुमान्) सम्बन्धः; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative)

• अजयोः: of the unborn (two)
• अजयोः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (प्रधानपुंसोः)

• कारणम्: the cause
• कारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; अत्र स्तुत्य-विशेष्यरूपेण द्वितीया (object of implied praise/meditation)

• कार्य-भूतयोः: of the two that are in the state of effects
• कार्य-भूतयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (determinative: 'having become effects')

• प्रणत-आर्ति-हरम्: remover of the suffering of the surrendered
• प्रणत-आर्ति-हरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √नम् (धातु) क्त) + आर्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + हर (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √हृ (धातु) अण्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative: 'remover of the distress of the bowed')

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

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वः: for you / your
• वः: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) बहुवचन (enclitic); सर्वनाम

• श्रेयः: welfare, the good
• श्रेयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विधास्यति: will bestow / will arrange
• विधास्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya, in the opening theological framing)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the unborn Lord is the cause of Pradhāna and Puruṣa and grants the highest good to devotees

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Though beyond birth, Viṣṇu is the causal ground of both Pradhāna (prakṛti) and Puruṣa and becomes the remover of suffering for those who surrender.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Adopt praṇati (humble surrender) and remembrance of the Lord as the inner ground of nature and self, especially when distressed.

Vishishtadvaita: Unites cosmological causality with grace: the same Supreme Cause responds to the surrendered (śaraṇāgati) by granting śreyas.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Pradhāna and Puruṣa in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Pradhāna (primordial nature) and Puruṣa (conscious principle) as fundamental categories of cosmology, while affirming Vishnu as their ultimate cause and governor—placing divine sovereignty above both matter and consciousness.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the idea of Vishnu as the supreme cause?

In the opening theological context, Parāśara frames Vishnu as kāraṇa (cause) even with respect to what appear as primary principles (Pradhāna and Puruṣa), and as the ground of all kārya (effects), establishing a hierarchy where creation depends on the Lord.

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

Vishnu is portrayed as unborn, transcendent, and compassionate—the remover of suffering for those who surrender—uniting metaphysical supremacy (source of all) with devotional accessibility (protector of devotees).