Shloka 61

उपसंहारः, वैष्णवपुराण-प्रशंसा, फलश्रुति, परम्परा-प्रवहः (पाठ-श्रवण-फलम्)

Devanagari script

ज्ञानप्रवृत्तिनियमैक्यमयाय पुंसो भोगप्रदानपटवे त्रिगुणात्मकाय अव्याकृताय भवभावनकारणाय वन्दे स्वरूपभवनाय सदाजराय

Transliteration

jñānapravṛttiniyamaikyamayāya puṃso bhogapradānapaṭave triguṇātmakāya avyākṛtāya bhavabhāvanakāraṇāya vande svarūpabhavanāya sadājarāya

Translation

I adore the ever-unaging Lord—who, for embodied beings, is the single unity of knowledge, activity, and the laws that govern them; who is supremely able to bestow the fruits of experience; who, as the essence of the three guṇas, yet remains the Unmanifest; the causal ground by which becoming is conceived and brought forth—whose own nature is His abode.

Word by Word

• ज्ञानप्रवृत्तिनियमैक्यमयाय: to him who is of the nature of the unity of knowledge, activity, and regulation
• ज्ञानप्रवृत्तिनियमैक्यमयाय: Sampradana (Recipient qualifier/सम्प्रदान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान-प्रवृत्ति-नियम-ऐक्य-मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्; समासः (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष): ज्ञानस्य प्रवृत्तेः नियमस्य ऐक्यस्य मयः (consisting of the unity of knowledge, activity, and regulation)

• पुंसः: of the person (of the Lord)
• पुंसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुम्स्/पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्

• भोगप्रदानपटवे: to the skillful giver of enjoyments
• भोगप्रदानपटवे: Sampradana (Recipient qualifier/सम्प्रदान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भोग-प्रदान-पटु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्; समासः: भोगस्य प्रदानं तस्मिन् पटुः

• त्रिगुणात्मकाय: to the three-guṇa-natured
• त्रिगुणात्मकाय: Sampradana (Recipient qualifier/सम्प्रदान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि-गुण-आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्; समासः: त्रयाणां गुणानां आत्मा/स्वभावः यस्य

• अव्याकृताय: to the unmanifest/undeveloped
• अव्याकृताय: Sampradana (Recipient qualifier/सम्प्रदान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्याकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• भवभावनकारणाय: to the cause of the bringing-forth of existence
• भवभावनकारणाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव-भावन-कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्; कारणवाचक-नाम; समासः: भवस्य भावनायाः कारणम्

• वन्दे: I worship/salute
• वन्दे: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वन्द् (धातु: वन्द् ‘स्तुतौ/नमस्कारे’)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• स्वरूपभवनाय: to the abode/state that is his own true form
• स्वरूपभवनाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप-भवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्; समासः: स्वरूपं एव भवनम् (one’s own essential abode/state)

• सदाजराय: to the ever-unaging
• सदाजराय: Sampradana (Recipient qualifier/सम्प्रदान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदा-जर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्; अव्ययीभावः: सदा + जर (always non-aging)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya; part of an opening/continuing eulogy to Vishnu)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord is the unmanifest ground of becoming, the unity behind knowledge, action, and their regulation, and the competent dispenser of karmic enjoyments while remaining beyond manifestation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: See life’s results as administered by the Lord and practice responsible action with surrender, reducing anxiety about outcomes.

Vishishtadvaita: Combines transcendence (avyākṛta) with immanence as niyantṛ/dispenser of bhoga, aligning with the Lord as inner ruler of karma and its fruits.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Triguna (sattva-rajas-tamas)
• Avyakrita (Unmanifest Prakriti)

FAQs

What is the significance of describing Vishnu as the unity of knowledge, action, and law in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Vishnu as the single sovereign principle behind cognition, worldly engagement, and the moral-cosmic order that regulates results—placing all functions of life under one supreme source.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relation between the three guṇas and the Unmanifest (avyākṛta)?

He praises Vishnu as tri-guṇātmaka (pervading and governing prakṛti’s guṇas) while also being avyākṛta (not limited to manifest forms), expressing both immanence and transcendence.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu being called the giver of bhoga (fruition) here?

It asserts Vishnu’s lordship over karmic outcomes: experiences and their fruits are not random but administered by the Supreme, reinforcing Vaishnava sovereignty and providence.