Shloka 47

दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः

Devanagari script

कार्यकार्यस्य यत् कार्यं तत्कार्यस्यापि यः स्वयम् तत्कार्यकार्यभूतो यस् ततश् च प्रणतो ऽस्मि तम्

Transliteration

kāryakāryasya yat kāryaṃ tatkāryasyāpi yaḥ svayam tatkāryakāryabhūto yas tataś ca praṇato 'smi tam

Translation

I bow to the Supreme—who is the cause of what is itself called a cause; who Himself is the cause even of that cause; and who, in turn, becomes the effect of that very cause.

Word by Word

• कार्यकार्यस्य: of the effect-of-the-effect (secondary effect)
• कार्यकार्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कार्यस्य कार्यम् इति; तस्य षष्ठी)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• कार्यम्: (is) the effect
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचनम्; (यत् ... कार्यम्) समनाधिकरण

• तत्कार्यस्य: of that effect
• तत्कार्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तस्य कार्यस्य)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थे—अपि (also/even)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Emphatic/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अर्थे—स्वतः (oneself/by oneself)

• तत्कार्यकार्यभूतः: having become that effect-of-effect
• तत्कार्यकार्यभूतः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य + कार्य + भूत (भू धातु-निष्पन्न, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (भूत = become); समासः—तत्पुरुष (तत्-कार्य-कार्य-भूतः = that secondary effect become)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• ततः: therefore
• ततः: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अर्थे—तस्मात्/ततः (therefore/from that)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रणतः: bowed down
• प्रणतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु) → प्रणत (क्त, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लकारः—लट् (वर्तमान), पुरुषः—उत्तम, वचनम्—एकवचनम्

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; doxological praise of Vishnu as the Supreme Reality)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Refinement of causal regress: the Lord as cause of causes and also manifest as the effect of that causal chain

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme transcends linear causality: He is the source behind secondary sources and can also appear as the ‘effect’ within the manifested order while remaining the ultimate ground.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Hold a both/and vision: see the world as real in dependence on God, and meet phenomena as His mode (prakāra) rather than as independent realities.

Vishishtadvaita: World-as-mode doctrine is suggested: effects are real transformations/modes dependent on Brahman (Vishnu), not independent substances.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of the 'cause of causes' idea in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Vishnu as the ultimate causal ground: all secondary causes and their effects depend on Him, establishing divine sovereignty over the entire chain of causation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain causality and dependence here?

By stacking cause, cause-of-cause, and effect, Parāśara shows that even what appears to be an independent creator or cause is itself dependent—while Vishnu alone underlies, empowers, and can also appear within the produced order.

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

Vishnu is presented as Supreme Reality (Para Brahman): not merely a distant creator, but the sustaining principle who can also manifest within creation, aligning with core Vaishnava metaphysics.