Shloka 54

अविद्याबीज-निरूपणं, योगस्वरूप-उपदेशः, मूर्तहरिधारणा-समाधि, जनकवंशीय-राजर्षिसंवादः

Devanagari script

तच् च विष्णोः परं रूपम् अरूपस्याजम् अक्षरम् विश्वस्वरूपवैरूप्यलक्षणं परमात्मनः

Transliteration

tac ca viṣṇoḥ paraṃ rūpam arūpasyājam akṣaram viśvasvarūpavairūpyalakṣaṇaṃ paramātmanaḥ

Translation

And that indeed is Viṣṇu’s supreme form: for the Formless One it is beyond form—unborn, imperishable; the mark of the Supreme Self is this, that He is characterized as the universe in its manifest appearance and in its transcendent unmanifestness.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; (IAST tac = तत्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/and)

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘रूपम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• रूपम्: form/nature
• रूपम्: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• अरूपस्य: of the formless one
• अरूपस्य: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्ययार्थ; ‘विष्णोः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अजम्: unborn
• अजम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘रूपम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अक्षरम्: imperishable
• अक्षरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘रूपम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विश्वस्वरूपवैरूप्यलक्षणम्: characterized by the universe’s form and its manifoldness
• विश्वस्वरूपवैरूप्यलक्षणम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व + स्वरूप + वैरूप्य + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘विश्व-स्वरूप-वैरूप्य-लक्षण’ इति बहुपद-समासः; ‘रूपम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• परमात्मनः: of the Supreme Self
• परमात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘परमः आत्मा’ इति कर्मधारय

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in dialogue, instructing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identification of Brahman with Viṣṇu’s supreme nature as both manifest universe and transcendent unmanifest

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brahman-knowledge is Viṣṇu’s supreme reality—unborn and imperishable—whose defining mark is being the universe in its manifest forms and also beyond manifestation.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Hold a ‘both-and’ vision: see the world as pervaded by the Lord while cultivating detachment from transient appearances; integrate devotion with metaphysical understanding.

Vishishtadvaita: Strongly supports Viśiṣṭādvaita: the Lord is arūpa in His transcendence yet the viśva is His ‘form’ as body (śarīra), making immanence and transcendence non-contradictory.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being described as both “formless” and the “universal form” in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Vishnu as simultaneously transcendent (arūpa, beyond limiting forms) and immanent (viśva-svarūpa, the universe as His expression), establishing Him as the Supreme Reality who pervades creation without being confined by it.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept of the imperishable (akṣara) Supreme?

Parāśara identifies the Paramātman as aja (unborn) and akṣara (immutable), indicating that Vishnu’s supreme nature does not arise, change, or decay—even while the cosmos appears and transforms within His sovereignty.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as Paramātman—ultimate, unborn, and imperishable—supporting core Vaishnava theology where all cosmology and order ultimately rest in Vishnu’s supreme nature.