Shloka 32

भाण्डीरवट-क्रीडा: प्रलम्बासुरवधः, मानुष्यलीला, एक-कारण-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

भवान् अहं च विश्वात्मन्न् एकम् एव हि कारणम् जगतो ऽस्य जगत्य् अर्थे भेदेनावां व्यवस्थितौ

Transliteration

bhavān ahaṃ ca viśvātmann ekam eva hi kāraṇam jagato 'sya jagaty arthe bhedenāvāṃ vyavasthitau

Translation

O Soul of the universe, You and I are in truth one and the same cause of this world; yet, for the world’s unfolding and governance, we stand as if distinct—set in difference only to serve the order of creation.

Word by Word

• भवान्: you
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; आदरार्थक-सर्वनाम ‘you’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘I’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विश्वात्मन्: O universal self
• विश्वात्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘O soul of the universe’

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘one’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये निपात (particle: ‘indeed/for’)

• कारणम्: cause
• कारणम्: Pradhana (Predicate/विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘cause’ (predicate nominal)

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘of the world’

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘of this’

• जगति: in the world
• जगति: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘in the world’

• अर्थे: in the matter/purpose
• अर्थे: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘in the matter/purpose’

• भेदेन: by distinction
• भेदेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by distinction/as distinct’

• आवाम्: we two
• आवाम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘we two’

• व्यवस्थितौ: are situated/established
• व्यवस्थितौ: Pradhana (Predicate/विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘are established/stand’ (as predicate of आवाम्)

Speaker

Likely a divine interlocutor within the Parasara–Maitreya narration (context: unity of the supreme causal principle expressed through differentiated roles)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna, as the Lord’s human descent, acts within the world to uphold cosmic order while remaining the ultimate cause beyond it.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Right governance of the world through divinely guided agency and protection of dharma.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The divine and the divine agent are one causal reality, yet appear distinct for the sake of the world’s functioning and governance.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Act with humility: see yourself as an instrument (nimitta) of the indwelling Lord, reducing ego while increasing responsibility.

Vishishtadvaita: Unity of cause is affirmed while real, purposeful distinctions (for jagat-artha) are maintained—compatible with qualified non-dualism rather than absolute identity.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Vyuha Form: Vasudeva

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (implied as Viśvātman)
• Universal Self (Viśvātman)

FAQs

What is the significance of jagat-artha (the world’s purpose) in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

It explains why apparent difference is allowed: distinction is presented as functional—serving the world’s operation—while the ultimate cause remains one.

How does Sage Parasara explain unity and difference in the Vishnu Purana’s cosmology?

Through verses like this, the teaching frames the supreme cause as one reality that can assume differentiated roles for creation and governance without compromising its underlying oneness.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is implied as Viśvātman, the universal ground and single cause of the cosmos, with multiplicity treated as a purposeful manifestation rather than an ultimate separation.