Shloka 38

नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्

Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman

Devanagari script

तद् ब्रह्म तत् परं धाम परमात्मा स चेश्वरः स विष्णुः सर्वम् एवेदं यतो नावर्तते यतिः

Transliteration

tad brahma tat paraṃ dhāma paramātmā sa ceśvaraḥ sa viṣṇuḥ sarvam evedaṃ yato nāvartate yatiḥ

Translation

He is that Brahman; He is the supreme abode. He is the Paramātman, and indeed He is Īśvara. He is Viṣṇu—this entire universe is truly He. Having reached Him, the ascetic does not return again.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• धाम: abode, light
• धाम: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमात्मा: the Supreme Self
• परमात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—परमः आत्मा

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction ‘and’)

• ईश्वरः: Lord
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all (this)
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समस्तवाचक (collective)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle ‘indeed/only’)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (as predicate/‘this’)

• यतः: from whom; because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतुवाचक (causal/relative adverb ‘from whom/wherefrom/because’)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• आवर्तते: returns, comes back
• आवर्तते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• यतिः: ascetic; seeker
• यतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identification of Brahman/Paramadhāma/Paramātman/Īśvara with Viṣṇu and the mokṣa of non-return

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu is identical with Brahman, the supreme abode and Lord; realizing Him grants liberation from return to saṃsāra.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Orient practice toward God-realization (jñāna grounded in devotion), holding liberation as freedom from compulsive return to worldly bondage.

Vishishtadvaita: Equates Brahman with a personal Lord (Viṣṇu/Īśvara), supporting mokṣa as attaining His supreme abode rather than impersonal absorption alone.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahman
• Paramatma
• Yati (ascetic)

FAQs

What is the significance of identifying Vishnu as Brahman and Paramatma in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse equates Vishnu with Brahman (the Absolute), Paramatma (the indwelling Supreme Self), and Ishvara (the ruling Lord), establishing Vishnu as the ultimate metaphysical reality behind the cosmos.

How does Sage Parashara explain liberation (moksha) to Maitreya here?

Parashara states that upon attaining Vishnu—the supreme abode—an ascetic (yati) does not return to samsaric existence, implying liberation as freedom from rebirth and bondage.

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

Vishnu is presented not merely as a deity among others but as the all-encompassing Supreme Lord: the universe is His manifestation, and realization of Him is the decisive goal leading to non-return (moksha).