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Shloka 12

विष्णु-ब्रह्म-विवाद-वर्णनम्

Description of the Viṣṇu–Brahmā Dispute and Brahmā’s Confusion

न लब्धं तु मया तत्र कमलस्थानमुत्तमम् । संशयं च पुनः प्राप्तः कमले गन्तुमुत्सुकः

na labdhaṃ tu mayā tatra kamalasthānamuttamam | saṃśayaṃ ca punaḥ prāptaḥ kamale gantumutsukaḥ

Mais là, je n’obtins pas la demeure suprême du lotus. Le doute renaquit en moi, et je fus saisi du désir de retourner vers le lotus.

nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)
labdhamobtained / found
labdham:
Karma (कर्म/predicate complement)
TypeVerb
Root√labh (धातु) + ta (क्त, क्तप्रत्यय)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (contextually predicate: ‘obtained’)
tubut/indeed
tu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/विरोधार्थक-अव्यय (particle: ‘but/indeed’)
mayāby me
mayā:
Karana (करण/instrument or agent in passive)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुष, तृतीया (करण) एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग-निर्लिङ्ग प्रयोग (instrumental ‘by me’)
tatrathere
tatra:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottatra (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: ‘there’)
kamala-sthānamthe lotus-seat/place
kamala-sthānam:
Karma (कर्म/object of ‘not obtained’)
TypeNoun
Rootkamala (प्रातिपदिक) + sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (kamalasya sthānam), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन
uttamamexcellent, supreme
uttamam:
Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootuttama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formविशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘kamala-sthānam’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्
saṃśayamdoubt
saṃśayam:
Karma (कर्म/object of ‘prāptaḥ’)
TypeNoun
Rootsaṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction ‘and’)
punaḥagain
punaḥ:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpunaḥ (अव्यय)
Formपुनरावृत्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb ‘again’)
prāptaḥ(I) attained / came to
prāptaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/subject, implicit ‘aham’)
TypeVerb
Root√āp (धातु) + pra + ta (क्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘I became/attained’ (elliptic ‘aham’)
kamaleto/at the lotus
kamale:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location/goal-context)
TypeNoun
Rootkamala (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (locative)
gantumto go
gantum:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
TypeVerb
Root√gam (धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
Formतुमुनन्त (infinitive), ‘to go’
utsukaḥeager
utsukaḥ:
Visheshana (विशेषण/predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Rootutsuka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formविशेषण, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘prāptaḥ (aham)’ इत्यस्य भावविशेषणम्

Brahmā (narrated within Sūta’s discourse)

Tattva Level: pashu

Cosmic Event: failure of causal search; cyclic return to the point of manifestation

B
Brahma

FAQs

It highlights the limitation of created intellect: even Brahmā cannot reach the “supreme lotus-abode” by effort alone. In Shaiva Siddhanta, this points to the need for Shiva’s grace (anugraha) to dispel doubt and reveal the highest truth.

Brahmā’s inability to find the ultimate seat mirrors the teaching that the Absolute is not fully grasped by searching within the manifested realms. Linga-worship centers the seeker on Shiva as the transcendent yet immanent Lord (Saguna for worship, pointing to Nirguna reality).

A practical takeaway is to respond to doubt with steady japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and humble surrender, seeking clarity through devotion rather than mere speculation.