Shloka 14

नग्न-परिभाषा तथा देव-स्तोत्रपूर्वक मायामोह-उत्पत्ति

Defining ‘Nagna’ and the Devas’ Hymn Leading to Māyāmoha

Devanagari script

त्वम् उर्वी सलिलं वह्निर् वायुर् आकाशम् एव च समस्तम् अन्तःकरणं प्रधानं तत्परः पुमान्

Transliteration

tvam urvī salilaṃ vahnir vāyur ākāśam eva ca samastam antaḥkaraṇaṃ pradhānaṃ tatparaḥ pumān

Translation

You are the earth, the waters, the fire, the wind, and the very ether. You are the whole inner instrument of awareness, the Pradhāna, and the Supreme Person who transcends it and yet pervades all that proceeds from it.

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); सर्वनाम

• उर्वी: earth
• उर्वी: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• सलिलम्: water
• सलिलम्: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• वह्निः: fire
• वह्निः: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), पुल्लिङ्ग

• वायुः: wind
• वायुः: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), पुल्लिङ्ग

• आकाशम्: space/ether
• आकाशम्: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• समस्तम्: the whole, entire
• समस्तम्: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण

• अन्तःकरणम्: inner organ (mind)
• अन्तःकरणम्: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अन्तः + करण)

• प्रधानम्: Pradhāna (primordial matter)
• प्रधानम्: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• तत्परः: devoted to that (supreme)
• तत्परः: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), पुल्लिङ्ग; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तस्मिन् परः = devoted to that)

• पुमान्: the Person (Puruṣa)
• पुमान्: Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), पुल्लिङ्ग

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya in a hymn-like identification of Vishnu with all principles)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identity of the Supreme with elements, mind, pradhāna, and the transcendent Puruṣa

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord is immanent as the five elements and inner faculties, and also transcendent as the Supreme Person beyond pradhāna.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate the divine presence in body, mind, and nature, while remembering the Lord is not limited to them—supporting worship with discernment.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms both immanence (as elements and antaḥkaraṇa) and transcendence (tatparaḥ pumān), aligning with the Lord as inner ruler and material/efficient cause.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Earth (Pṛthivī)
• Water (Āpas)
• Fire (Agni)
• Wind (Vāyu)
• Ether (Ākāśa)
• Antaḥkaraṇa

FAQs

What is the significance of the five elements in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse identifies Vishnu with earth, water, fire, wind, and ether to show that all cosmic constituents are His body and presence—nothing in creation exists outside His sovereignty.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Pradhāna and Puruṣa here?

Parāśara uses Sāṅkhya language: Pradhāna as the primordial material cause, while Vishnu is also the Puruṣa—supreme over Pradhāna—indicating both immanent causality and transcendent lordship.

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

Vishnu is presented as the ultimate reality who pervades matter, the elements, and the inner mind, yet remains the Supreme Person beyond them—supporting core Vaishnava metaphysics central to later Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita readings.