Shloka 7

गर्भ-व्यवस्था, देवकी-गर्भ-स्तुति (गर्भस्तुतिः), जगदन्तर्गत-हरि-प्रतिपादनम्

Devanagari script

प्रकृतिस् त्वं परा सूक्ष्मा ब्रह्मगर्भाभवः पुरा ततो वाणी जगद्धातुर् वेदगर्भातिशोभने

Transliteration

prakṛtis tvaṃ parā sūkṣmā brahmagarbhābhavaḥ purā tato vāṇī jagaddhātur vedagarbhātiśobhane

Translation

You are the supreme, subtle Prakṛti—the primordial womb in which Brahmā once lay as an embryo. From you arose the divine Word of the Creator of worlds, by which the Vedas were brought forth—O Radiant One, resplendent as the womb of sacred knowledge.

Word by Word

• prakṛtiḥ: (you are) Nature; Prakṛti
• prakṛtiḥ: Karta/Predicate-noun (Subject complement/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• parā: supreme
• parā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (prakṛtiḥ)

• sūkṣmā: subtle
• sūkṣmā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sūkṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (prakṛtiḥ)

• brahma-garbhābhavaḥ: the origin from the womb of Brahmā
• brahma-garbhābhavaḥ: Karta/Predicate-noun (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + garbha (प्रातिपदिक) + abhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः: (ब्रह्मगर्भः) + अभवः = ब्रह्मगर्भाभवः; ‘ब्रह्मगर्भ’ = ब्रह्मणो गर्भः (तत्पुरुष), ततः ‘अभव’ = उत्पत्तिः/उद्भवः

• purā: formerly; in the beginning
• purā: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक) = temporal adverb

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kala/Anantarya (Sequence/अनन्तर्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तरार्थक) = then/thereupon

• vāṇī: speech; Vāṇī
• vāṇī: Karta/Predicate-noun (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• jagat-dhātuḥ: the sustainer/creator of the world
• jagat-dhātuḥ: Karta/Predicate-noun (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + dhātu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जगतः धातुः = supporter/creator of the world)

• veda-garbha-ati-śobhane: O exceedingly splendid one, containing the Vedas
• veda-garbha-ati-śobhane: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + garbha (प्रातिपदिक) + ati (अव्यय) + śobhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः: वेदगर्भ (तत्पुरुष: वेदानां गर्भः) + अतिशोभन (उपपद/अव्ययपूर्वक-तत्पुरुष: अत्यन्तं शोभनः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse to Maitreya; hymn-like address within the narrative)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The content of the devas’ praise of Devakī

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: As Viṣṇu descends as Kṛṣṇa, the devas praise Devakī by identifying her with the subtle cosmic matrix through which creation and Veda-manifestation occur.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The hymn identifies the divine feminine (Devakī/Srī) with the subtle ground (parā prakṛti) through which Brahmā and Vedic revelation emerge under the Lord’s ordinance.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate creation as sacred and Veda-grounded; honor the divine presence in the feminine as a gateway to understanding dharma and revelation.

Vishishtadvaita: Supports a Srī–Nārāyaṇa framework: the Lord as jagat-kāraṇa and the divine consort/power as inseparable, mediating creation and revelation without collapsing into māyāvāda.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vāk (Divine Speech)
• Vedas
• Jagaddhātu (world-creator)

FAQs

What is the significance of Prakṛti being called 'parā sūkṣmā' in the Vishnu Purana?

It identifies a primordial, extremely subtle causal principle underlying manifestation—presented as the transcendent basis from which cosmic creation proceeds.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the emergence of the Vedas here?

He links the Vedas to Vāk (divine speech), indicating revelation arises through an originating Word that empowers the world-creator to structure creation.

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

Even when speaking in terms of Prakṛti and Brahmā, the Purāṇic frame treats the supreme ground and ordering intelligence as dependent on the Highest Reality—consistent with Vaishnava cosmology where Vishnu is ultimate sovereignty behind creation.