Shloka 36

देवकी-विवाहः, आकाशवाणी, भूरभारावतरण-याचना, क्षीराब्धि-स्तुति, केशावतार-नियोजनम्

Devanagari script

द्वे ब्रह्मणी त्व् अणीयो ऽतिस्थूलात्मन् सर्वसर्ववित् शब्दब्रह्मपरं चैव ब्रह्म ब्रह्ममयस्य यत्

Transliteration

dve brahmaṇī tv aṇīyo 'tisthūlātman sarvasarvavit śabdabrahmaparaṃ caiva brahma brahmamayasya yat

Translation

O Self, subtle yet immense, knower of all in every way—Brahman is indeed spoken of in two modes: the supreme Brahman beyond Śabda-Brahman (the Vedic word), and that Brahman pertaining to the one whose very nature is Brahman.

Word by Word

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• ब्रह्मणी: two Brahmans / two aspects of Brahman
• ब्रह्मणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• त्वत्: of you / your
• त्वत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अणीयः: smaller (subtler)
• अणीयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अणीयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तद्धित-तुलनात्मक (comparative)

• अतिस्थूलात्मन्: O one of exceedingly vast/gross nature
• अतिस्थूलात्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (ati-sthūla-ātman = ‘exceedingly gross-bodied/whose nature is very gross’)

• सर्वसर्ववित्: O knower of all
• सर्वसर्ववित्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीह्यर्थ (sarva-sarva-vit = ‘knower of all, everything’)

• शब्दब्रह्मपरम्: having Śabda-Brahman (Veda) as the supreme
• शब्दब्रह्मपरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (śabda-brahma-para = ‘having the Vedic/word-Brahman as supreme/goal’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (apposition)

• ब्रह्ममयस्य: of the one consisting of Brahman
• ब्रह्ममयस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भानुसार), षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (brahma-maya = ‘consisting of Brahman’)

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

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya, describing the nature of Brahman/Vishnu as the Supreme Reality)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brahman is spoken of in a higher, transcendent mode beyond Vedic sound (śabda-brahman), and as the all-pervading reality of the Brahman-natured Lord.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Use scripture as a pointer while cultivating contemplative discernment (viveka) toward the ineffable reality it indicates.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms a supreme Brahman beyond verbal formulation while still being the personal Lord who is the ground of śabda (Veda) and its meaning.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Śabda-Brahman (Veda)

FAQs

What is the significance of Śabda-Brahman in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse distinguishes the Veda as Śabda-Brahman (Brahman approached through sacred sound) from Para-Brahman, indicating that scripture is a revelatory means pointing beyond itself to the Supreme Reality.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Brahman in this opening teaching?

Parāśara frames Brahman in two registers—Brahman as knowable through Vedic sound and the higher, transcendent Brahman—setting a philosophical basis for creation and sovereignty under the Supreme Principle (identified in the Purana’s theology with Vishnu).

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

By describing the Supreme as subtler than the subtle, greater than the greatest, and all-knowing, the text presents the ultimate Brahman as the sovereign ground of reality—an understanding central to Vaishnava Vedanta traditions that read Vishnu as Para-Brahman.