Shloka 25

नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्

Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman

Devanagari script

अरूपम् अरसस्पर्शम् अगन्धं न च मूर्तिमत् सर्वम् आपूरयच् चैव सुमहत् तत् प्रकाशते

Transliteration

arūpam arasasparśam agandhaṃ na ca mūrtimat sarvam āpūrayac caiva sumahat tat prakāśate

Translation

That Supreme Reality is formless—beyond taste and touch, without scent, and not confined to any embodied shape; yet filling all things completely, that immeasurable Greatness shines forth.

Word by Word

• अरूपम्: formless
• अरूपम्: विशेषण (of तत्/खम् implied)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (नञ्) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); नञ्-समासार्थ (‘without form’)

• अरसस्पर्शम्: without taste and touch
• अरसस्पर्शम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (नञ्) + रस (प्रातिपदिक) + स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (रस-स्पर्शयोः अभावः: ‘without taste and touch’)

• अगन्धम्: without smell
• अगन्धम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (नञ्) + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; नञ्-समासार्थ (‘without smell’)

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

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• मूर्तिमत्: having material form
• मूर्तिमत्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मतुप् (प्रत्यय) → मूर्तिमत्
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (‘having form/material’) with negation by preceding न

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• आपूरयत्: fills/pervades
• आपूरयत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√पॄ/पूर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; छन्दसि/पाठभेदे ‘आपूरयच्’ इति (त्→च् sandhi before च)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: सम्बन्ध (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सुमहत्: very great
• सुमहत्: विशेषण (of तत्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु- (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासः—तत्पुरुषः/उपपद (‘very great’)

• तत्: that (entity)
• तत्: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• प्रकाशते: shines/appears
• प्रकाशते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-काश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Reality is beyond sensory qualities (rasa, sparśa, gandha, rūpa), without material form, yet all-pervasive and self-luminous—the ground in which all existence is filled and sustained.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Shift identity from sense-objects to the all-pervading Lord: practice remembrance (smaraṇa) and quiet inquiry into what remains when sensory attributes are negated.

Vishishtadvaita: Negating material attributes does not deny the Lord’s fullness; He remains the real, all-pervading support of all—transcendent of matter yet immanent in and filling the universe.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of describing the Supreme as 'formless' in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse emphasizes that the Supreme (identified with Vishnu) transcends sensory properties and material embodiment, establishing a metaphysical basis for creation where the ultimate reality is not limited by physical form.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the all-pervading nature of the Supreme here?

Parāśara states that although the Supreme is beyond taste, touch, smell, and bodily form, it still “fills all” (sarvam āpūrayat), indicating immanence—everything exists within and is pervaded by that Reality.

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

Vishnu is presented as the self-revealing, infinite foundation of the universe—transcendent of material qualities yet present throughout creation—supporting core Vaishnava philosophy about Vishnu as the Supreme Reality.