Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

त्वम् अव्यक्तम् अनिर्देश्यम् अचिन्त्यानामवर्णवत् अपाणिपादरूपं च विष्णुर् नित्यं परात् परम्

Transliteration

tvam avyaktam anirdeśyam acintyānāmavarṇavat apāṇipādarūpaṃ ca viṣṇur nityaṃ parāt param

Translation

You are the Unmanifest—beyond description, beyond the reach of thought, without any defining mark of name or form. Without hands or feet as a limiting shape, You are Vishnu, eternal—Parātpara, higher than the highest.

Word by Word

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

• अव्यक्तम्: unmanifest
• अव्यक्तम्: Pratijna/Predicate adjective (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• अनिर्देश्यम्: indescribable
• अनिर्देश्यम्: Pratijna/Predicate adjective (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिर्देश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• अचिन्त्यानामवर्णवत्: having an unthinkable name and form
• अचिन्त्यानामवर्णवत्: Pratijna/Predicate adjective (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचिन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष + वत्-प्रत्यय (possessive)

• अपाणिपादरूपम्: whose form is without hands and feet
• अपाणिपादरूपम्: Pratijna/Predicate adjective (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समास (one whose form is without hands and feet)

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

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Pratijna/Predicate nominative (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणवत्; नित्यं = सदा (adverbial accusative)

• परात्: than the higher
• परात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; तुलनार्थ (ablative of comparison)

• परम्: higher/supreme
• परम्: Pratijna/Predicate adjective (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Lord Vishnu in an opening eulogy/invocation)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vishnu is the unmanifest, indescribable, and inconceivable Supreme—beyond all limiting attributes—‘higher than the highest’, while remaining the eternal reality.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Balance personal devotion with apophatic reverence: allow concepts and images to lead into humility before the indescribable Lord.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord transcends material limitation (‘apāṇipāda’ as non-limited form) yet remains the supreme personal reality, supporting transcendence without denying divine qualities.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of calling Vishnu “avyakta” (unmanifest) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Vishnu as the ultimate reality that precedes all creation—present as the supreme ground of existence even before names, forms, and manifest worlds arise.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept of the indescribable Supreme (anirdeśya, acintya)?

By stating that Vishnu cannot be fully captured by language or thought, Parāśara establishes that scripture points toward Him, but does not reduce Him to any finite definition.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu being described as “apāṇipādarūpa” here?

It emphasizes Vishnu’s transcendence beyond bodily limitation, while still affirming Him as the eternal, highest sovereign—supporting the Purana’s presentation of Vishnu as the supreme source of all manifestation.