Shloka 31

नग्न-परिभाषा तथा देव-स्तोत्रपूर्वक मायामोह-उत्पत्ति

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

Devanagari script

प्रधानबुद्ध्यादिमयाद् अशेषाद् यद् अन्यद् अस्मात् परमं परात्मन् रूपं तवाद्यं न यद् अन्यतुल्यं तस्मै नमः कारणकारणाय

Transliteration

pradhānabuddhyādimayād aśeṣād yad anyad asmāt paramaṃ parātman rūpaṃ tavādyaṃ na yad anyatulyaṃ tasmai namaḥ kāraṇakāraṇāya

Translation

O Supreme Self, beyond the entirety of Pradhāna, buddhi, and all derivative principles stands the highest Reality. That primordial form is Yours alone, unequalled by anything else. Salutations to You, the Cause of all causes.

Word by Word

• प्रधानबुद्ध्यादिमयात्: from that which consists of pradhāna, buddhi, etc.
• प्रधानबुद्ध्यादिमयात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (प्रधान-बुद्धि-आदि-मय = consisting of pradhāna, buddhi, etc.)

• अशेषात्: from the entire (aggregate)
• अशेषात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

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

• अन्यत्: other, distinct
• अन्यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अस्मात्: from this
• अस्मात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• परात्मन्: O Supreme Self
• परात्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma/Pradhana (Object/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• आद्यम्: primordial, first
• आद्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक-निपातः (negation)

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

• अन्यतुल्यम्: equal to another (anything else)
• अन्यतुल्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः तत्पुरुषः (अन्येन तुल्यम्)

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

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपातः

• कारणकारणाय: to the cause of causes
• कारणकारणाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कारणस्य कारणम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; part of a cosmological/theological eulogy to the Supreme—Vishnu)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Transcendence beyond pradhāna and buddhi; the Lord as kāraṇa-kāraṇa

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Lord stands beyond pradhāna, buddhi, and all evolutes as the unequalled primordial reality—the Cause of all causes.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Discriminate between the changing principles (mind, intellect, nature) and the Supreme ground; anchor meditation in the unconditioned source rather than its products.

Vishishtadvaita: Jagat-kāraṇatva grounded in Bhagavān: the ultimate cause is personal and supreme, not an independent pradhāna.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Para Atman

FAQs

What is the significance of calling Vishnu “kāraṇa-kāraṇa” (cause of causes) in the Vishnu Purana?

It asserts Vishnu as the ultimate source behind all secondary causes—beyond primordial matter (pradhāna) and cosmic intellect (buddhi)—making Him the supreme ground of creation and order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain transcendence beyond Pradhāna and Buddhi here?

By stating that the Lord’s primordial nature is “other than” and “higher than” the totality of pradhāna, buddhi, and all derived principles, Parāśara frames Vishnu as transcendent to the Sāṃkhya cosmological stack.

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

Vishnu is presented as the unequalled Supreme Self whose essence is not comparable to anything in creation—supporting a devotional Vedāntic reading where the highest reality is personal and sovereign.