Shloka 40

नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्

Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman

Devanagari script

परमात्मा च सर्वेषाम् आधारः परमेश्वरः विष्णुर् नाम्ना स वेदेषु वेदान्तेषु च गीयते

Transliteration

paramātmā ca sarveṣām ādhāraḥ parameśvaraḥ viṣṇur nāmnā sa vedeṣu vedānteṣu ca gīyate

Translation

He is the Paramātman of all beings, the universal ground and support, the Highest Lord; and in the Vedas and the Vedānta He is sung of by the name “Viṣṇu”.

Word by Word

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

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

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• आधारः: support, substratum
• आधारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—परमः ईश्वरः

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

• नाम्ना: by the name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• वेदेषु: in the Vedas
• वेदेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वेदान्तेषु: in the Vedāntas (Upaniṣads)
• वेदान्तेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—वेदानाम् अन्ताः (Vedāntas/Upaniṣads)

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

• गीयते: is sung, is praised
• गीयते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गै (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Scriptural authority (Veda/Vedānta) for calling the Supreme support of all by the name Viṣṇu

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Lord, support of all and inner Self, is praised in Veda and Vedānta specifically by the name Viṣṇu.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Anchor study and devotion together: chant and contemplate the name ‘Viṣṇu’ as the scripturally grounded pointer to the Supreme who upholds all.

Vishishtadvaita: Links Vedānta’s Brahman to Viṣṇu by name, reinforcing personal theism within non-dual metaphysics and the antaryāmin-support doctrine.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri (fortune)

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Vedas
• Vedanta

FAQs

What is the significance of calling Vishnu the 'ādhāra' (support) of all in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse identifies Vishnu as the metaphysical ground of existence—everything depends upon Him for being, order, and continuity, establishing divine sovereignty over the cosmos.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme Reality in this section to Maitreya?

Parāśara frames Vishnu as both the Supreme Self (Paramātman) and the Highest Lord (Parameśvara), grounding the teaching in śruti by stating that the Vedas and Vedānta themselves proclaim Him.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu being praised in the Vedas and Vedanta here?

It asserts scriptural primacy (śruti-pramāṇa): Vishnu’s supremacy is not merely sectarian devotion but is presented as the consistent conclusion of Vedic revelation and Upanishadic philosophy.