Shloka 64

आत्यन्तिक-लयहेतुः: तापत्रय-विवेचनम् तथा ‘भगवान्/वासुदेव’ शब्दार्थः

Threefold Suffering and the Path to Final Liberation; Meaning of Bhagavān and Vāsudeva

Devanagari script

द्वे ब्रह्मणी वेदितव्ये शब्दब्रह्म परं च यत् शब्दब्रह्मणि निष्णातः परं ब्रह्माधिगच्छति

Transliteration

dve brahmaṇī veditavye śabdabrahma paraṃ ca yat śabdabrahmaṇi niṣṇātaḥ paraṃ brahmādhigacchati

Translation

Two forms of Brahman are to be known: Shabda-brahman, the Brahman of sacred sound, and the Supreme Brahman beyond sound. One who is fully grounded in Shabda-brahman attains realization of the Supreme Brahman.

Word by Word

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: Visheshana (Numeral modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन

• ब्रह्मणी: two Brahmans (two aspects of Brahman)
• ब्रह्मणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन

• वेदितव्ये: to be known
• वेदितव्ये: Vidhyartha (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive/future passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘to be known’

• शब्दब्रह्म: word-Brahman (scriptural sound)
• शब्दब्रह्म: Visheshya (Appositional member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (शब्दरूपं ब्रह्म)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative connector)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative: ‘which’)

• शब्दब्रह्मणि: in word-Brahman
• शब्दब्रह्मणि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्दब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• निष्णातः: one who is well-versed
• निष्णातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्ना (धातु) + नि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘well-bathed’ → ‘thoroughly versed’

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अधिगच्छति: attains/realizes
• अधिगच्छति: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Two Brahmans to be known—śabdabrahman and para-brahman—and the progression from one to the other

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: One must know both śabdabrahman (Vedic sound) and para-brahman; mastery of sacred word becomes the means to attain realization of the Supreme.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Commit to disciplined study/recitation with ethical living, then deepen into contemplation so that scripture becomes transformative rather than merely informational.

Vishishtadvaita: Presents śabda (Veda/āgama) as a valid pramāṇa that leads to the Supreme Person; aligns with Viśiṣṭādvaita’s path where scriptural revelation guides the soul toward personal Brahman (Nārāyaṇa) rather than an impersonal abstraction.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of Śabda Brahman in the Vishnu Purana?

It identifies the Veda and sacred revelation as “Brahman in the form of sound,” a valid means of knowledge that guides the seeker toward the Supreme Reality.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between scripture and realization?

He presents scriptural mastery (being niṣṇāta in śabda-brahman) as the disciplined foundation through which one reaches direct realization of the transcendent Para Brahman.

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

Within the Vishnu Purana’s Vaishnava Vedanta, the “Para Brahman” ultimately points to Vishnu as the Supreme Reality, approached through Vedic teaching and culminating in liberating knowledge.