Shloka 21

Vidura’s Questions: How the Unchangeable Lord Relates to Māyā; Bhakti as the Remedy; Blueprint for the Coming Cosmology

Devanagari script

सृष्ट्वाग्रे महदादीनि सविकाराण्यनुक्रमात् । तेभ्यो विराजमुद्‍धृत्य तमनु प्राविशद्विभु: ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

sṛṣṭvāgre mahad-ādīni sa-vikārāṇy anukramāt tebhyo virājam uddhṛtya tam anu prāviśad vibhuḥ

Translation

ଆଦିରେ ପ୍ରଭୁ ମହତ୍-ତତ୍ତ୍ୱ ଆଦି ବିକାରଯୁକ୍ତ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱମାନଙ୍କୁ କ୍ରମେ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କଲେ; ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ନେଇ ବିରାଟ୍ ବିଶ୍ୱରୂପ ପ୍ରକାଶ କରି ସର୍ବବ୍ୟାପୀ ବିଭୁ ତାହାରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କଲେ।

Synonyms

• सृष्ट्वा: having created
• सृष्ट्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: सृज्, अर्थे: ‘कृत्वा/after having created’

• अग्रे: in the beginning
• अग्रे: देश-कालाधिकरण (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb), अर्थे: ‘in the beginning/at first’

• महत्-आदीनि: the (principles) beginning with Mahat
• महत्-आदीनि: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (आदि-समास) ‘महत् आदि’ = ‘beginning with Mahat’

• स-विकाराणि: with modifications
• स-विकाराणि: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; उपसर्जनपूर्वपद ‘स’ (सहित/with) + ‘विकार’ (modifications)

• अनुक्रमात्: in sequence
• अनुक्रमात्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनुक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverbial usage), अर्थे: ‘in due order/ क्रमशः’ (often treated as ablative-form adverb)

• तेभ्यः: from them
• तेभ्यः: अपादान (Apādāna/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• विराजम्: Virāj
• विराजम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘Virāj’ (cosmic person)

• उद्धृत्य: having drawn forth
• उद्धृत्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), धातु: हृ with उपसर्ग उद्; अर्थे: ‘having drawn out/raised’

• तम्: him/that (Virāj)
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अनु: after (that), following
• अनु: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Preverb/particle), अर्थे: ‘after/following’

• प्राविशत्: entered
• प्राविशत्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√विश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: विश् with उपसर्ग प्र

• विभुः: the all-powerful Lord
• विभुः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

Purport

Fully satisfied by the answers of the sage Maitreya, Vidura wanted to understand the remaining portions of the creative function of the Lord, and he took the clue from the previous topics.

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Vidura
• Virāṭ
• Vibhu (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord entering the universe?

This verse explains that after manifesting the cosmic principles and the Virāṭ (universal form), the omnipotent Lord enters within that manifestation—indicating His immanence as the indwelling Supersoul who sustains creation.

Why is Virāṭ (the universal form) mentioned in Bhagavatam Canto 3?

Virāṭ is described as the organized universal body arising from the created elements and principles; it helps devotees understand the cosmos as the Lord’s ordered manifestation before focusing on His more intimate personal forms.

Practical application of this creation teaching in modern life?

Seeing the world as pervaded by the Lord fosters humility and responsibility: one treats life, nature, and others as sacred, and cultivates devotion by remembering the Divine presence within all situations.