Shloka 53

अक्रूर-सत्कारः, मथुरायात्रा-विरहः, यमुनातटे दिव्यदर्शनम्, चतुर्व्यूह-नमस्कारः

Devanagari script

न यत्र नाथ विद्यन्ते नामजात्यादिकल्पनाः तद् ब्रह्म परमं नित्यम् अविकारि भवान् अज

Transliteration

na yatra nātha vidyante nāmajātyādikalpanāḥ tad brahma paramaṃ nityam avikāri bhavān aja

Translation

O Lord—where no fabrications such as “name,” “class,” and the rest are found, that is the Supreme Brahman: eternal and changeless. You are That—unborn.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• nātha: O Lord
• nātha: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• vidyante: exist, are found
• vidyante: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद्)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• nāma-jāti-ādi-kalpanāḥ: conceptions such as name and class
• nāma-jāti-ādi-kalpanāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक) + jāti (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + kalpanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आदि-समास/निर्देश)

• tad: that
• tad: Visheshya (Correlative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

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

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of brahma)

• nityam: eternal
• nityam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• avikāri: unchanging
• avikāri: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avikārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• bhavān: you (honored)
• bhavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific)

• aja: O Unborn
• aja: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; addressing the Supreme Lord as the metaphysical referent)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Brahman is beyond all conceptual fabrications like name and class, and the Lord is identical with that unborn, changeless Reality.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Practice neti-neti toward labels and identities, and stabilize contemplation on the unchanging ground of awareness as the Lord’s reality.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms the Lord as the nirvikāra, nitya Brahman while still being the addressed ‘Nātha’, supporting transcendence with personal lordship.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Brahman

FAQs

What is the significance of transcending name and class (nāma-jāti) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that the Supreme Reality is where conceptual labels—name, category, and similar mental constructs—do not apply, indicating a Brahman beyond limiting descriptions.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme in this passage?

He characterizes the Supreme as parama, nitya, and avikāri—supreme, eternal, and changeless—then identifies the Lord addressed as that very unborn Reality.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

The verse aligns Vishnu with Para Brahman: the unborn, immutable ground beyond name-and-form, supporting Vaishnava Vedanta that the Supreme Person is also the ultimate metaphysical Absolute.