Shloka 18
Vows of Hari and the Hundred Names of Suputra (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa): Ritual Metadata and Fruits of Japa
वेदज्ञं वेदरूपं तं विद्यावासं सुरेश्वरम् । अव्यक्तं तं महाहंसं शंखपाणिं पुरातनम्
vedajñaṃ vedarūpaṃ taṃ vidyāvāsaṃ sureśvaram | avyaktaṃ taṃ mahāhaṃsaṃ śaṃkhapāṇiṃ purātanam
വേദജ്ഞനും വേദസ്വരൂപനും; സർവ്വവിദ്യാധാമം, സുരേശ്വരൻ; അവ്യക്തൻ, മഹാഹംസൻ, ശംഖപാണി, പുരാതനൻ—അവനോട് നമസ്കാരം।
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (likely a narrator or devotee offering a eulogy/stuti within the chapter).
Concept: The Lord is both Veda-knower and Veda-form, the abode of knowledge, yet ultimately unmanifest—approachable through devotion while transcending conceptual grasp.
Application: Study śāstra with humility and pair it with nāma-japa; treat knowledge as worship, not ego—let learning culminate in surrender to the ‘avyakta’ Lord.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In a quiet cosmic void, the unmanifest Lord is suggested rather than fully outlined—an aura shaped like a swan (haṁsa) gliding over a dark lotus-lake of space. From His conch arises a spiral of luminous Sanskrit syllables, forming the Vedas as living light, while sages meditate at the edge of perception.","primary_figures":["Viṣṇu (as Avyakta radiance)","Mahāhaṁsa symbol (swan aura)","Sages in meditation","Śaṅkha (Pāñcajanya)"],"setting":"Abstract metaphysical space: starless deep field with a lotus-lake motif and faint mandalas of script.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["midnight black","opal white","electric cyan","antique gold","violet haze"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Central conch-bearing Viṣṇu with a swan-emblem halo, Vedic syllables as gold-leaf calligraphy spiraling outward; heavy gold embellishment on halo and script, rich maroon and emerald framing, jewel-like ornamentation, sacred geometry background.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: Minimalist mystical scene—dark lake, pale swan-halo, delicate sages; fine calligraphic strokes for glowing syllables; cool palette with subtle gold accents, refined serenity and lyrical emptiness.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Avyakta Viṣṇu suggested through bold outline and radiant mandala; conch emitting stylized script patterns; strong pigment blocks, temple-wall symmetry, iconic eyes and ornaments, red/yellow/green dominance with deep blue body tone.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Conch-centered composition with lotus borders; Sanskrit akṣaras arranged as floral-vine patterns; swan motifs repeated in the border; deep indigo cloth base with gold and white detailing, intricate ornamental rhythm."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["conch drone (soft)","tanpura","long silences","distant temple bell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: No mandatory sandhi splits beyond compound-internal segmentation (e.g., वेद-ज्ञ, वेद-रूप, विद्या-वास, सुर-ईश्वर, महा-हंस, शङ्ख-पाणि).
FAQs
The verse presents the Lord as both the revealer/knower of Vedic wisdom (vedajña) and its very embodiment (vedarūpa), implying that ultimate authority and meaning of the Vedas culminate in the divine reality being praised—here signaled by “śaṃkhapāṇi” (Viṣṇu).
“Avyakta” indicates that the Lord transcends sensory perception and material form; even while worshipped with attributes (like holding a conch), His essential nature is beyond manifestation and conceptual limitation.
The verse models humility and devotion by grounding reverence in wisdom: true knowledge (vidyā) is portrayed as culminating in recognizing the supreme Lord as the source and substance of sacred teaching, encouraging worship aligned with learning, discernment, and surrender.