Shloka 69

Devanagari script

तद् एव भगवद्वाच्यं स्वरूपं परमात्मनः वाचको भगवच्छब्दस् तस्याद्यस्याक्षयात्मनः

Transliteration

tad eva bhagavadvācyaṃ svarūpaṃ paramātmanaḥ vācako bhagavacchabdas tasyādyasyākṣayātmanaḥ

Translation

That alone is the very nature of the Supreme Self which the term “Bhagavān” signifies; and the word “Bhagavān” is the express designation of that Primal One, whose essence is imperishable.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (restrictive particle)

• भगवद्वाच्यम्: denoted by the word ‘bhagavat’
• भगवद्वाच्यम्: Pratijna/Predicate adjective
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + वाच्य (प्रातिपदिक; √वच् (धातु) + ण्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (भगवता वाच्यम्/भगवच्छब्देन वाच्यम् = ‘denoted by “bhagavat”’), ण्यत्-कृदन्त

• स्वरूपम्: essential nature
• स्वरूपम्: Pratijna/Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (स्वं रूपम् = ‘own nature/form’)

• परमात्मनः: of the Supreme Self
• परमात्मनः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (परमः आत्मा = ‘Supreme Self’)

• वाचकः: denoter, signifier
• वाचकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाचक (प्रातिपदिक; √वच् (धातु) + ण्वुल्/अक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• भगवच्छब्दः: the word ‘bhagavat’
• भगवच्छब्दः: Pratijna/Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (भगवतः शब्दः/‘bhagavat’-शब्दः)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आद्यस्य: of the primordial/first
• आद्यस्य: Visheshana (to अक्षयात्मनः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अक्षयात्मनः: of the imperishable Self
• अक्षयात्मनः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक; अ- + क्षय) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (अक्षयः आत्मा यस्य = ‘whose self is imperishable’/‘imperishable self’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The semantic-theological import of the epithet ‘Bhagavān’ as denoting the Supreme Self’s imperishable essence.

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: ‘Bhagavān’ is not a mere honorific but a precise designation of the imperishable Supreme Self’s very nature.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Use nāma-japa and scriptural reflection together: contemplate the meaning of ‘Bhagavān’ while chanting, so devotion is informed by tattva-jñāna.

Vishishtadvaita: Name and nature are linked: the personal Lord (Bhagavān) is identical with the Supreme Self, supporting a theistic Brahman central to Viśiṣṭādvaita.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Paramatman

FAQs

What is the significance of the term “Bhagavān” in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that “Bhagavān” is not merely an honorific; it directly denotes the essential nature (svarūpa) of the Supreme Self—imperishable and primordial.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between a divine name and the Supreme Reality?

Parāśara frames the word as a vācaka (designator) that points to what is vācya (denoted): the Paramātman’s true nature, emphasizing that language here functions as a theological marker of the Supreme.

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

Vishnu (as Bhagavān/Paramātman) is presented as the primal, undecaying ground of existence—supporting later Vaishnava readings where the Supreme is personal yet metaphysically absolute.