Shloka 78

Devanagari script

उत्पत्तिं प्रलयं चैव भूतानाम् आगतिं गतिम् वेत्ति विद्याम् अविद्यां च स वाच्यो भगवान् इति

Transliteration

utpattiṃ pralayaṃ caiva bhūtānām āgatiṃ gatim vetti vidyām avidyāṃ ca sa vācyo bhagavān iti

Translation

He who knows creation and dissolution, and the coming and going of beings; who understands both true knowledge and ignorance—He alone is rightly spoken of as Bhagavān, the Supreme Lord.

Word by Word

• उत्पत्तिम्: origin/creation
• उत्पत्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रलयम्: dissolution
• प्रलयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis: “indeed/just”)

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• आगतिम्: coming/arrival
• आगतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गतिम्: going/departure; course
• गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वेत्ति: knows
• वेत्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• विद्याम्: knowledge
• विद्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अविद्याम्: ignorance
• अविद्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

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

• वाच्यः: is to be called/denoted
• वाच्यः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाच्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्तव्य/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (to be called/denoted)

• भगवान्: Bhagavān
• भगवान्: Sambandha (Predicate nominal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (appositional predicate)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Criteria by which the term “Bhagavān” is properly applied—omniscience of creation/dissolution and knowledge/ignorance

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhagavān is the one who comprehends creation and dissolution and the entire trajectory of beings, along with vidyā and avidyā.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Cultivate humility and surrender by recognizing that only the Supreme fully knows the cosmos and the inner workings of knowledge and delusion.

Vishishtadvaita: Vishnu’s omniscience includes governance of both vidyā and avidyā as modes within His order, while remaining untouched by defect.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān

FAQs

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

This verse defines “Bhagavān” as the Supreme Lord who comprehends creation, dissolution, and the entire movement of beings, along with both knowledge and ignorance—marking Vishnu’s complete sovereignty and omniscience.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s knowledge of vidyā and avidyā?

Parāśara presents the Lord as the one who fully knows both liberating wisdom (vidyā) and binding ignorance (avidyā), indicating mastery over the conditions that govern bondage and release within the cosmos.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu here for Vaishnava philosophy?

Vishnu is affirmed as the Supreme Reality endowed with perfect knowledge and control over cosmic processes, supporting the Vaishnava view of a personal, attribute-rich Lord who governs creation and liberation.