Shloka 23

स्वर्गगमनम्, अदितिस्तुतिः-मायातत्त्वम्, तथा पारिजात-प्रसङ्गे इन्द्रयुद्धम्

Devanagari script

एतत् पश्यामि ते रूपं स्थूलचिह्नोपलक्षितम् न जानामि परं यत् ते प्रसीद परमेश्वर

Transliteration

etat paśyāmi te rūpaṃ sthūlacihnopalakṣitam na jānāmi paraṃ yat te prasīda parameśvara

Translation

I behold this form of Yours, marked by visible and tangible signs; yet I do not know the Supreme Reality that is truly Yours. Be gracious to me, O Parameśvara.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• पश्यामि: I see
• पश्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case, Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case, Accusative), एकवचन

• स्थूलचिह्नोपलक्षितम्: marked by gross signs
• स्थूलचिह्नोपलक्षितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक) + चिह्न (प्रातिपदिक) + उपलक्षित (कृदन्त; √लक्ष् + उपसर्ग उप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘उपलक्षित’ = ‘marked/characterized’; समासः—स्थूलचिह्नैः उपलक्षितम् (instrumental-tatpurusha sense)

• न: not
• न: Kriya-visheshana (Verb-modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• जानामि: I know
• जानामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परम्: the supreme (reality/form)
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case, Accusative), एकवचन; विशेष्य-रूपेण ‘परं (तत्त्वम्/रूपम्)’

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case, Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रसीद: be gracious
• प्रसीद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सद् (धातु) + उपसर्ग प्र
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमेश्वर: O Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—परमः ईश्वरः (karmadhāraya)

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing the Supreme Lord, as framed within Parāśara’s narration)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He abides on earth to protect dharma and grant grace to devotees through intimate līlā.

Leela: Moksha-dana

Dharma Restored: Devotional surrender (śaraṇāgati) and recognition of the Lord’s transcendent nature beyond visible forms.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s perceivable form can be seen, yet His supreme reality transcends sensory marks and is known through grace.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Approach the divine with humility—pray for inner understanding beyond external appearances.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms a knowable personal Lord whose transcendence exceeds material perception, while revelation occurs by His prasāda.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvara

FAQs

What is the significance of seeing the Lord’s ‘sthūla’ (manifest) form in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights that sensory vision can apprehend divine manifestation, but full knowledge of the Lord’s supreme, transcendent nature requires deeper realization and grace.

How does Parāśara’s teaching frame the gap between perception and true knowledge here?

Within the dialogue tradition, the verse underscores that outward marks of divinity are not the same as knowing the Lord as the Supreme Reality; revelation is completed through instruction and the Lord’s favor.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu being addressed as Parameśvara in this context?

It affirms Vishnu’s sovereignty as the highest Lord—beyond merely a visible form—supporting the Purana’s Vaishnava view of Vishnu as the ultimate, independent Supreme.