Shloka 41

नैमित्तिक-प्राकृत-प्रलयवर्णनम्

Periodic and Elemental Dissolution; Reabsorption into Paramātman

Devanagari script

प्रवृत्तं च निवृत्तं च द्विविधं कर्म वैदिकम् ताभ्याम् उभाभ्यां पुरुषैः सर्वमूर्तिः स इज्यते

Transliteration

pravṛttaṃ ca nivṛttaṃ ca dvividhaṃ karma vaidikam tābhyām ubhābhyāṃ puruṣaiḥ sarvamūrtiḥ sa ijyate

Translation

Vedic action is declared twofold: pravṛtti, engagement in prescribed duty, and nivṛtti, withdrawal in renunciation. By both, people worship Viṣṇu, He whose form is the whole of all existence.

Word by Word

• प्रवृत्तम्: engaged in (worldly activity); active
• प्रवृत्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवृत्त (कृदन्त; √वृत्/√वृत्त् + प्र-; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकृत् (क्त) participle used adjectivally

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• निवृत्तम्: withdrawn; renunciatory
• निवृत्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निवृत्त (कृदन्त; √वृत्/√वृत्त् + नि-; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकृत् (क्त) participle used adjectivally

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• द्विविधम्: twofold
• द्विविधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विविध (प्रातिपदिक: द्वि + विध)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्वयोः विधः = of two kinds)

• कर्म: ritual action; rite
• कर्म: Karma/Pradhana (Topic/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• वैदिकम्: Vedic
• वैदिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैदिक (प्रातिपदिक: वेद + ठक्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मणि विशेषण

• ताभ्याम्: by those two (i.e., by both)
• ताभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• उभाभ्याम्: by both
• उभाभ्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/सामान्य (used adjectivally), तृतीया (3), द्विवचन; ताभ्याम् इति विशेषण

• पुरुषैः: by men; by persons
• पुरुषैः: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• सर्वमूर्तिः: the one of all forms
• सर्वमूर्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य सर्वाः मूर्तयः सः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इज्यते: is worshipped
• इज्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Twofold Vedic action (pravṛtti/nivṛtti) as worship of Viṣṇu and its salvific orientation

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Both pravṛtti (ritual-duty) and nivṛtti (renunciant withdrawal) are valid Vedic modes of worship, because the Lord is sarvamūrti—present as the totality of existence.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Honor one’s life-stage duties while cultivating inner renunciation, offering both action and restraint as worship.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord is worshipped through diverse upāyas because all beings and acts subsist as His body (sarvamūrti), uniting immanence with transcendence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of pravṛtti and nivṛtti in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Vedic dharma as two complementary orientations—worldly duty and renunciatory withdrawal—both valid when directed toward Vishnu as the supreme goal.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between karma and worship here?

Parāśara presents action itself as a mode of worship: whether one serves through ritual and social duties or through renunciation and inner discipline, both become offerings to Vishnu.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu “sarvamūrti” in this context?

“Sarvamūrti” emphasizes Vishnu’s sovereignty as the all-inclusive Supreme Reality—implying that all dharmic paths ultimately honor the same Lord who pervades and contains the cosmos.