Shloka 29

Devanagari script

एको व्यापी समः शुद्धो निर्गुणः प्रकृतेः परः जन्मवृद्ध्यादिरहित आत्मा सर्वगतो ऽव्ययः

Transliteration

eko vyāpī samaḥ śuddho nirguṇaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ janmavṛddhyādirahita ātmā sarvagato 'vyayaḥ

Translation

He is One—all-pervading, the same in all, and perfectly pure; beyond the guṇas and higher than prakṛti. Free from birth, growth, and every change, He is the Self, present everywhere, and imperishable.

Word by Word

• एकः: one
• एकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• व्यापी: all-pervading
• व्यापी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (pervading)

• समः: equal, impartial
• समः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शुद्धः: pure
• शुद्धः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• निर्गुणः: without guṇas/attributes
• निर्गुणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (without qualities)

• प्रकृतेः: from/beyond prakṛti (nature)
• प्रकृतेः: Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/पञ्चमी (genitive/ablative), एकवचन; ‘of/from prakṛti’ (context favors ablative ‘beyond’)

• परः: beyond/supreme
• परः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: Sambandha (Compound member/समास)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (in compound), एकवचन (stem-form)

• वृद्धि: growth
• वृद्धि: Sambandha (Compound member/समास)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (in compound), एकवचन (stem-form)

• आदि: and so on
• आदि: Sambandha (Etc./आदि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थे/आद्यार्थे अव्यय (etc.)

• रहितः: devoid of
• रहितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → रहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण: ‘devoid of’

• जन्मवृद्ध्यादिरहितः: free from birth, growth, etc.
• जन्मवृद्ध्यादिरहितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन्म-वृद्धि-आदि-रहित (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण: ‘devoid of birth, growth, etc.’

• आत्मा: the Self
• आत्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्वगतः: all-pervading; present everywhere
• सर्वगतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-गत (समास-प्रातिपदिक; गत = √गम् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण: ‘gone everywhere’

• अव्ययः: imperishable
• अव्ययः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-व्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (imperishable)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Concise definition of the Supreme Self: one, all-pervading, pure, beyond guṇas and prakṛti, changeless and imperishable

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Self is one, omnipresent, pure, beyond guṇas and prakṛti, free from all change, and imperishable.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate the Lord as changeless presence within changing life; let this stabilize the mind, reduce fear of loss, and orient devotion toward the eternal.

Vishishtadvaita: Transcendent beyond prakṛti yet immanent as sarvagata ātman (antaryāmin): the Lord pervades all while remaining untouched by material guṇas.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Gunas

FAQs

What is the significance of describing Vishnu as nirguṇa and prakṛteḥ paraḥ in the Vishnu Purana?

It establishes Vishnu as the Supreme Reality who transcends material nature and its three guṇas, making Him the ultimate cause and support of the cosmos without being limited by it.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept of an unchanging Supreme Self here?

By listing what does not apply to Him—birth, growth, and other modifications—Parāśara frames Vishnu as the omnipresent Ātman who remains untouched by temporal change while pervading all.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu being called ekaḥ, sarva-gataḥ, and avyayaḥ in this context?

These terms present Vishnu as the single sovereign ground of existence: one without rival, present in all beings, and imperishable—supporting a strongly theistic reading where the Supreme is both transcendent and immanent.