Shloka 38

लोकसंस्थानम्, ग्रहदूरी-प्रमाणम्, ब्रह्माण्डावरणानि, विष्णोः जगत्कारणत्वम्

Devanagari script

तुषाः कणाश् च सन्तो वै यान्त्य् आविर्भावम् आत्मनः प्ररोहहेतुसामग्रीम् आसाद्य मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

tuṣāḥ kaṇāś ca santo vai yānty āvirbhāvam ātmanaḥ prarohahetusāmagrīm āsādya munisattama

Translation

Even husks and tiny particles, though seemingly insignificant, come into the full display of their own nature when they obtain the complete set of causes that produces their sprouting—O best of sages.

Word by Word

• तुषाः: husks, chaff
• तुषाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; “husks/chaff”

• कणाः: particles
• कणाः: Karta (Co-subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; “particles/grains”

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• सन्तः: being, existing
• सन्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (Participial modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √अस् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; “being/existing”—qualifies तुषाः कणाः

• वै: indeed
• वै: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/खलु-अर्थे (emphatic particle)

• यान्ति: attain, go to
• यान्ति: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; “go/attain”

• आविर्भावम्: manifestation
• आविर्भावम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आविर्भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; “manifestation/appearance”

• आत्मनः: of themselves
• आत्मनः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; “of themselves/of their own”

• प्ररोहहेतुसामग्रीम्: the set of causes for sprouting
• प्ररोहहेतुसामग्रीम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्ररोह + हेतु + सामग्री (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; “the collection of causes for sprouting”

• आसाद्य: having obtained
• आसाद्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action; gerund)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + √सद् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund): “having reached/obtained”

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; “O best of sages”

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The role of complete causal conditions (sāmagrī) in manifesting latent natures

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: explanatory

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even minute constituents manifest their full nature when the totality of sprouting-causes is obtained, showing that expression depends on the convergence of conditions.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Create supportive ‘sāmagrī’ for practice—satsanga, discipline, study, and environment—so latent virtues can manifest.

Vishishtadvaita: The world’s ordered manifestation reflects divine governance of causal networks, not randomness; beings unfold according to their real natures under the Lord’s rule.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of causality (hetu-sāmagrī) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse illustrates that manifestation depends on an assembled set of causes and conditions; what is subtle or unnoticed becomes evident when the proper causal supports are present.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the shift from latent to manifest?

By analogy: even minute particles can ‘sprout’ into visibility when the required conditions converge, indicating that effects appear when their causal complex is complete.

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

Within the Purana’s creation framework, such ordered manifestation is ultimately governed by the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—who presides over the lawful unfolding of causes into effects.