Shloka 16

Devanagari script

तत्रेश तव यत् पूर्वं त्वन्नाभिकमलोद्भवम् रूपं सर्गोपकाराय तस्मै ब्रह्मात्मने नमः

Transliteration

tatreśa tava yat pūrvaṃ tvannābhikamalodbhavam rūpaṃ sargopakārāya tasmai brahmātmane namaḥ

Translation

O Lord, that primordial form of Yours—Brahmā, born from the lotus of Your navel—manifested for the purpose of creation; to that Brahmā, who is Your own self in the work of sarga, I bow.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there, in that (context)
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Adverbial location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: ‘there/in that’)

• ईश: O Lord
• ईश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, सम्बोधन (Vocative), पुल्लिङ्ग

• तव: of you, your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive)

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

• पूर्वम्: formerly, first
• पूर्वम्: Kala (Time adjunct/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: ‘formerly/first’)

• त्वत्-नाभि-कमल-उद्भवम्: born from the lotus of your navel
• त्वत्-नाभि-कमल-उद्भवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + नाभि (प्रातिपदिक) + कमल (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (त्वन्नाभिकमलात् उद्भवम्)

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Pratipādya (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• सर्ग-उपकाराय: for the aid of creation
• सर्ग-उपकाराय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), पुल्लिङ्ग; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्गस्य उपकारः)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), पुल्लिङ्ग/सर्वनाम

• ब्रह्म-आत्मने: to the one whose self is Brahmā (i.e., Brahmā-formed)
• ब्रह्म-आत्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), पुल्लिङ्ग; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मा एव आत्मा/स्वरूपं यस्य)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नमस्-शब्दः; प्रायः अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (salutatory particle)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; verse framed as a reverential salutation within the narration)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Brahmā’s emergence from the Lord and his role as agent of sarga

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brahmā, born from the lotus of the Lord’s navel, functions as the Lord’s own self for the work of creation (sarga).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Honor cosmic order and creative responsibility as sacred service; see all agency as empowered by the Supreme.

Vishishtadvaita: Establishes dependent agency: Brahmā creates as an empowered mode/servant of Nārāyaṇa, preserving the Lord’s sole supremacy while allowing real secondary causation.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

What is the significance of Brahmā being born from the navel-lotus in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents creation (sarga) as proceeding from Vishnu’s supreme being: Brahmā arises from Vishnu, indicating Brahmā’s creative role is empowered and grounded in Vishnu’s sovereignty.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between Vishnu and Brahmā here?

Parāśara frames Brahmā as a manifestation serving creation—“Brahmā as (Vishnu’s) self” in function—so the creative agency remains ultimately dependent on Vishnu as the highest principle.

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

Vishnu is upheld as Para Brahman and the source of cosmic order: even the creator-god Brahmā is depicted as arising from Vishnu and acting for creation by Vishnu’s power.