Shloka 71

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

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

Devanagari script

अशब्दगोचरस्यापि तस्य वै ब्रह्मणो द्विज पूजायां भगवच्छब्दः क्रियते ह्य् औपचारिकः

Transliteration

aśabdagocarasyāpi tasya vai brahmaṇo dvija pūjāyāṃ bhagavacchabdaḥ kriyate hy aupacārikaḥ

Translation

O twice-born one, though that Brahman is beyond the reach of words, in worship the name “Bhagavān” is still employed as a reverential, conventional designation.

Word by Word

• अशब्दगोचरस्य: of (him) who is beyond the range of words
• अशब्दगोचरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शब्द-गोचर (प्रातिपदिक; अशब्दः + गोचरः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासः—नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (अशब्दः) + तत्पुरुषः (शब्दगोचरः)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अर्थः—‘even/also’

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

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• पूजायाम्: in worship
• पूजायाम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• भगवच्छब्दः: the word ‘Bhagavat’
• भगवच्छब्दः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्-शब्द (प्रातिपदिक; भगवत् + शब्द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भगवतः शब्दः)

• क्रियते: is employed/is used
• क्रियते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (causal/emphatic particle)

• औपचारिकः: figurative/conventional
• औपचारिकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: औपचारिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भगवच्छब्दस्य)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the ineffable Brahman can be designated and worshipped through names like “Bhagavān”.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Though Brahman is beyond speech, devotional worship legitimately employs conventional honorific names such as “Bhagavān”.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Use divine names and forms as valid upāyas in worship without mistaking the name for a limitation of the Absolute.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms that the transcendent Brahman is approachable through sanctioned devotional language (aupacārika-śabda) without compromising supremacy.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Bhagavan
• Dvija (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the significance of calling the ineffable Brahman “Bhagavān” in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse explains that although Brahman transcends speech, worship uses the honorific “Bhagavān” as a conventional devotional designation to relate to the Supreme.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of language in describing the Supreme?

Parāśara indicates that ultimate reality is beyond verbal grasp, yet religious practice adopts respectful terms as upacāra (convention) for worship and contemplation.

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

The verse supports a Vaishnava Vedantic view: the Supreme is transcendent beyond words, yet is meaningfully approached in devotion through the name and concept of Bhagavān (Vishnu as Para Brahman).