Shloka 8

अक्रूरस्य गोकुलगमनम्—दर्शन-लालसा, अंशावतार-बोधः, विष्णु-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

न ब्रह्मा नेन्द्ररुद्राश्विवस्वादित्यमरुद्गणाः यस्य स्वरूपं जानन्ति स्प्रक्ष्यत्य् अङ्गं स मे हरिः

Transliteration

na brahmā nendrarudrāśvivasvādityamarudgaṇāḥ yasya svarūpaṃ jānanti sprakṣyaty aṅgaṃ sa me hariḥ

Translation

Neither Brahmā, nor Indra, nor Rudra; neither the Aśvins, nor Vivasvān, nor the Ādityas, nor the hosts of the Maruts truly know His essential form. May that Hari, my Lord, touch and sanctify my limbs.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• न: nor
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• इन्द्ररुद्राश्विवस्वादित्यमरुद्गणाः: Indra, Rudras, Ashvins, Vasus, Adityas, and the Marut hosts
• इन्द्ररुद्राश्विवस्वादित्यमरुद्गणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्व् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (list-compound)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• स्वरूपम्: true form
• स्वरूपम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (svaṃ rūpam)

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• स्प्रक्ष्यति: will touch
• स्प्रक्ष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अङ्गम्: the body/limb
• अङ्गम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (enclitic)

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya; presenting a devotional, mantra-like praise)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Transcendence of Hari whose essential nature is unknowable even to the highest devas, and the sanctifying grace of His touch.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari’s svarūpa transcends the cognitive reach of even Brahmā and the gods, yet His grace can directly purify the devotee.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Hold theological humility: accept the limits of intellect, and rely on devotion and surrender for sanctification.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord is beyond all finite knowers, yet personally accessible through grace—transcendent in essence, immanent in saving contact.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Brahmā
• Indra
• Rudra (Shiva)
• Aśvins
• Vivasvān (Sun-god)
• Ādityas
• Maruts
• Vasus

FAQs

What is the significance of saying even Brahmā, Indra, and Rudra do not know Hari’s svarūpa in the Vishnu Purana?

It establishes Vishnu’s transcendence: even the highest cosmic administrators and deities operate within creation, while Hari’s essential reality surpasses their full comprehension.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme Reality here?

Through a devotional assertion: the divine form of Hari is beyond the range of the gods’ knowledge, yet the devotee seeks His immediate grace—expressed as the purifying touch upon one’s very body.

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

Vishnu is presented as the ultimate sovereign and transcendent ground (Para Brahman), worthy of direct surrender and devotion, not merely one deity among others in the cosmic hierarchy.