Shloka 76

Devanagari script

एवम् एष महाशब्दो भगवान् इति सत्तम परमब्रह्मभूतस्य वासुदेवस्य नान्यगः

Transliteration

evam eṣa mahāśabdo bhagavān iti sattama paramabrahmabhūtasya vāsudevasya nānyagaḥ

Translation

O best of the virtuous, the great designation “Bhagavān” belongs to Vāsudeva alone—He who is the very state of the Supreme Brahman—and to none other.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: “thus”)

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• महाशब्दः: the great word/term
• महाशब्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (great + word)

• भगवान्: Bhagavān (the Lord)
• भगवान्: Sambandha (Apposition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेष्य/नाम (title)

• इति: “thus/so called”
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक (quotative particle)

• सत्तम: O best of the good
• सत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; सम्बोधन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधनपद (address)

• परमब्रह्मभूतस्य: of (him) who is the Supreme Brahman
• परमब्रह्मभूतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास; विशेषण (of one who has become/being the Supreme Brahman)

• वासुदेवस्य: of Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अन्यगः: not otherwise/none other (lit. not going elsewhere)
• अन्यगः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्यग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (not going elsewhere/other-directed)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Definition and proper referent of the epithet “Bhagavān,” establishing Vāsudeva as Paramabrahman

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The designation “Bhagavān” in its strict sense belongs exclusively to Vāsudeva who is identical with Paramabrahman.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Ground worship and contemplation in a clear understanding of the supreme object of devotion, avoiding dilution of ultimate divinity into mere honorific usage.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms a single Supreme Person (Vāsudeva) as Paramabrahman, the ultimate object of knowledge and devotion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Vyuha Form: Vasudeva

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

Here it is presented as a “mahāśabda” (supreme designation) reserved for Vāsudeva, indicating the unique fullness of divine excellence and supreme lordship.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme Reality in this verse?

Parāśara identifies Vāsudeva as “paramabrahmabhūta”—the one whose very being is the Supreme Brahman—thereby grounding theology in the claim that Vishnu is the highest metaphysical principle.

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

The verse asserts Vishnu (as Vāsudeva) as the singular Supreme Lord, supporting a Vaishnava framework where ultimate reality and divine sovereignty culminate in him alone.