Shloka 36

नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्

Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman

Devanagari script

एकः शुद्धो ऽक्षरो नित्यः सर्वव्यापी तथा पुमान् सो ऽप्य् अंशः सर्वभूतस्य मैत्रेय परमात्मनः

Transliteration

ekaḥ śuddho 'kṣaro nityaḥ sarvavyāpī tathā pumān so 'py aṃśaḥ sarvabhūtasya maitreya paramātmanaḥ

Translation

He is One—pure, imperishable, eternal, and all-pervading—the conscious Puruṣa. Yet, O Maitreya, even this cosmic Puruṣa is but a portion of the Paramātman, the inner Self of all beings.

Word by Word

• एकः: one, single
• एकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शुद्धः: pure
• शुद्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• अक्षरः: the imperishable (one)
• अक्षरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नित्यः: eternal
• नित्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वव्यापी: all-pervading
• सर्वव्यापी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + व्यापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—सर्वं व्याप्नोतीति (determinative)

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

• पुमान्: person, spirit
• पुमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he, that (one)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: ‘also/even’)

• अंशः: portion, part
• अंशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वभूतस्य: of all beings
• सर्वभूतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; समासः—सर्वाणि भूतानि (determinative)

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

• परमात्मनः: of the Supreme Self
• परमात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—परमः आत्मा (appositional/descriptive)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nature of the supreme Self and the status of the cosmic Puruṣa relative to Paramātman

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even the all-pervading cosmic Puruṣa is only an aṃśa, while Paramātman alone is the inner Self of all beings.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Contemplate the indwelling Lord (antaryāmin) in all beings and loosen identification with limited cosmic or personal selves.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms a supreme Paramātman who indwells all (śarīra-śarīrī-bhāva), while other puruṣas are dependent modes/parts.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Paramatman
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of calling the Puruṣa an “aṃśa” of the Paramātman in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse ranks the cosmic Puruṣa as a dependent manifestation, while the Paramātman is affirmed as the ultimate, all-inclusive reality present as the Self within all beings.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme Self in this teaching to Maitreya?

Parāśara describes the Supreme as one, pure, imperishable, eternal, and all-pervading, and then clarifies that even the exalted Puruṣa is only a portion of that highest Paramātman.

What is the theological importance of the Paramātman in this context?

The verse emphasizes Vaishnava supremacy theology: the Supreme Self (identified in the Purana’s framework with Viṣṇu) is the inner ruler of all beings, with all cosmic principles deriving from Him.