Shloka 51

दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः

Devanagari script

न स्थूलं न च सूक्ष्मं यन् न विशेषणगोचरम् तत् पदं परमं विष्णोः प्रणमामि सदामलम्

Transliteration

na sthūlaṃ na ca sūkṣmaṃ yan na viśeṣaṇagocaram tat padaṃ paramaṃ viṣṇoḥ praṇamāmi sadāmalam

Translation

I bow always to the spotless, supreme state of Viṣṇu—neither gross nor subtle, and not within the reach of limiting descriptions or qualifying attributes.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• स्थूलम्: gross
• स्थूलम्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• न: nor/not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• सूक्ष्मम्: subtle
• सूक्ष्मम्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• यत्: which/that (relative)
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• विशेषणगोचरम्: within the range of attributes/qualifiers
• विशेषणगोचरम्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशेषण (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विशेषणस्य गोचरः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Correlative reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; निर्देशसूचक सर्वनाम

• पदम्: abode/state
• पदम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• प्रणमामि: I bow to / I salute
• प्रणमामि: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सदामलम्: ever-pure
• सदामलम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदा (अव्यय) + अमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (सदा अमलम् = always pure)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; devotional-philosophical statement within the discourse on the Supreme Principle)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the supreme state of Viṣṇu transcends all limiting predicates (neither gross nor subtle) and yet is worthy of worship

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: reverent

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu’s supreme state is beyond gross/subtle classification and beyond the reach of limiting descriptors, yet is the ever-spotless object of surrender.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Use neti-neti discernment to drop material projections while sustaining reverent surrender (praṇāma) to the Supreme.

Vishishtadvaita: Combines apophatic transcendence with personal devotion (praṇamāmi), aligning knowledge of the Supreme with bhakti as the fitting response.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of describing Vishnu as neither gross nor subtle in the Vishnu Purana?

It indicates Vishnu’s supreme reality transcends both physical matter (gross) and the finest material principles (subtle), placing Him beyond the entire field of prakṛti and ordinary cognition.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme being as beyond qualifiers (viśeṣaṇa) here?

By stating that the supreme padam is not within the reach of defining attributes, Parāśara points to a reality that cannot be confined by conceptual labels—yet remains the highest object of devotion and contemplation.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as the spotless, supreme ground of existence—transcendent beyond description—worthy of constant reverence, aligning cosmology with devotion to the sovereign Supreme.