Shloka 83

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

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

Devanagari script

स सर्वभूतप्रकृतिं विकारं गुणादिदोषांश् च मुने व्यतीतः अतीतसर्वावरणो ऽखिलात्मा तेनास्तृतं यद् भुवनान्तराले

Transliteration

sa sarvabhūtaprakṛtiṃ vikāraṃ guṇādidoṣāṃś ca mune vyatītaḥ atītasarvāvaraṇo 'khilātmā tenāstṛtaṃ yad bhuvanāntarāle

Translation

O sage, He transcends the nature of all beings and every modification of it, and is beyond the defects that begin with the guṇas. Passing beyond all veils, He is the Self of all; by Him the whole expanse—within and between the worlds—is pervaded and covered.

Word by Word

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

• सर्वभूतप्रकृतिम्: the nature of all beings
• सर्वभूतप्रकृतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूतप्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + भूत + प्रकृति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां भूतानां प्रकृतिः)

• विकारम्: change; modification
• विकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गुणादिदोषान्: faults such as the guṇas (etc.)
• गुणादिदोषान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुणादिदोष (प्रातिपदिक; गुण + आदि + दोष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गुणाः आदयः ये दोषाः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• व्यतीतः: transcended; gone beyond
• व्यतीतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अति + इ (धातु) + त (क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle; ‘gone beyond’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘सः’ इति विशेषणम्

• अतीतसर्वावरणः: one who has passed beyond all coverings
• अतीतसर्वावरणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतीतसर्वावरण (प्रातिपदिक; अतीत + सर्व + आवरण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्मात् सर्वाणि आवरणानि अतीतानि सः)

• अखिलात्मा: the self of all; all-pervading self
• अखिलात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अखिलात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; अखिल + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अखिलः आत्मा यस्य/अखिलरूप आत्मा)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आस्तृतम्: covered; pervaded
• आस्तृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + स्तृ (धातु) + त (क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘यत्’ इति विशेषणम्

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• भुवनान्तराले: in the space between the worlds
• भुवनान्तराले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवनान्तराल (प्रातिपदिक; भुवन + अन्तराल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भुवनानां अन्तरालम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The Lord’s transcendence of prakṛti/guṇas and His all-pervasion as the Self of all.

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Though immanent as the Self of all, the Lord transcends prakṛti, its vikāras, and guṇa-born defects, pervading all worlds without being conditioned by them.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Practice discernment: notice changing guṇas and mental states, and anchor attention in the unconditioned Lord who witnesses and sustains them.

Vishishtadvaita: Immanence without impurity: the Lord pervades all as inner Self yet remains nirdoṣa, supporting qualified non-dualism rather than identity with guṇa-bound prakṛti.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of being ‘beyond prakriti and its modifications’ in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that Vishnu is not conditioned by material nature (prakriti) or its changing forms (vikāras), establishing Him as the unchanging Supreme who remains untouched by cosmic transformation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s relation to the three guṇas here?

Parāśara says the Lord transcends the ‘defects beginning with the guṇas,’ meaning He is not limited by sattva, rajas, or tamas, even though the cosmos operates through them.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu being called ‘akhilātmā’ (the Self of all) in this context?

It presents Vishnu as the indwelling reality of every being while still surpassing all veils—supporting a Vaishnava Vedantic view where God is both the inner ruler of all and the Supreme beyond material coverings.