Shloka 52

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

Devanagari script

इत्य् एवं संस्तवं श्रुत्वा मनसा भगवान् अजः ब्रह्माणम् आह विश्वात्मा विश्वरूपधरो हरिः

Transliteration

ity evaṃ saṃstavaṃ śrutvā manasā bhagavān ajaḥ brahmāṇam āha viśvātmā viśvarūpadharo hariḥ

Translation

Thus hearing that hymn of praise within His own awareness, the Blessed Lord Hari—unborn, the Self of the universe and bearer of the universe-form—then addressed Brahmā.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• evam: in this manner
• evam: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• saṃstavam: praise, hymn
• saṃstavam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃstava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriya (Non-finite verbal modifier/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having heard)

• manasā: with (his) mind
• manasā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• ajaḥ: the unborn
• ajaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण (as epithet)

• brahmāṇam: Brahmā
• brahmāṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• āha: said
• āha: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• viśva-ātmā: the universal Self
• viśva-ātmā: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva + ātman (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (viśvaḥ ātmā yasya / viśva-ātmā), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• viśva-rūpa-dharaḥ: bearer of the universal form
• viśva-rūpa-dharaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva + rūpa + dhara (प्रातिपदिक-त्रय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (viśvarūpaṃ dharati iti), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• hariḥ: Hari (Vishnu)
• hariḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya); the verse reports Hari speaking to Brahmā

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (implied universal Self/form)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari, unborn and all-pervading, is both the universe’s Self (viśvātmā) and its cosmic form (viśvarūpa), receiving devotion even within inward awareness.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Practice inward recollection (smaraṇa) and see the Divine as present within consciousness and throughout the world.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms immanence: the universe is the Lord’s body/form while He remains the sovereign Self—key to qualified non-dualism.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)
• Brahma

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being called Viśvātmā and Viśvarūpadhara in the Vishnu Purana?

It identifies Vishnu as the inner Self of all beings and the cosmic form itself—so creation is not independent of him; Brahmā functions under his sovereignty.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the start of creation in this opening context?

By showing a sequence where praise is offered, the Supreme Lord inwardly acknowledges it, and then directly instructs Brahmā—placing causality and authority with Vishnu.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu speaking to Brahmā here?

It frames Vishnu as Para-tattva (Supreme Reality) and Brahmā as a delegated creator, reinforcing a Vaishnava hierarchy central to later Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita readings.