Shloka 4

कालनिर्णयः (युग-मन्वन्तर-कल्पप्रमाणम्) — Measures of Time and Cosmic Cycles

Devanagari script

उत्पन्नः प्रोच्यते विद्वन् नित्य एवोपचारतः

Transliteration

utpannaḥ procyate vidvan nitya evopacārataḥ

Translation

О мудрец, о нём говорят как о «рождённом» лишь по условному выражению; в действительности же он один лишь вечен.

Word by Word

• उत्पन्नः: born/produced
• उत्पन्नः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्+पद् (धातु) → उत्पन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/क्तवत्-प्रत्ययार्थ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रोच्यते: is said/called
• प्रोच्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• विद्वन्: O wise one
• विद्वन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• नित्यः: eternal
• नित्यः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic)

• उपचारतः: by convention/figuratively
• उपचारतः: Hetu/Prakara (Manner/Cause nuance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘by convention/figuratively’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of calling the eternal Lord ‘born’ in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse says ‘birth’ is only a conventional, figurative way of speaking; the Lord’s true nature is eternal and not subject to real origination.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept of eternity versus creation-language?

Parāśara distinguishes literal ontology from devotional narration: scripture may describe manifestations as ‘arising,’ yet the Supreme remains nitya, with ‘birth’ used only as upacāra.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as the Supreme Reality—unborn and eternal—while creation descriptions refer to his modes of manifestation rather than any change in his essential being.