Shloka 5

Sṛṣṭi–Pratisṛṣṭi: Viṣṇu as Kāla and the Ninefold Creation Schema

Devanagari script

व्यक्तं विष्णुस्तथाव्यक्तं पुरुषः काल एव च / क्रीडतो बालकस्येव चेष्टास्तस्य निशामय

Transliteration

vyaktaṃ viṣṇustathāvyaktaṃ puruṣaḥ kāla eva ca / krīḍato bālakasyeva ceṣṭāstasya niśāmaya

Translation

వ్యక్తంగా ఆయనే విష్ణువు, అవ్యక్తంగా కూడా ఆయనే; ఆయనే పురుషుడు, ఆయనే కాలము. ఆడుకొనే బాలుడివలె ఆయన లీలాచేష్టలను దర్శించుము.

Word by Word

• व्यक्तम्: the manifest (aspect)
• व्यक्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (संज्ञार्थे)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अव्यक्तम्: the unmanifest (aspect)
• अव्यक्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पुरुषः: Puruṣa
• पुरुषः: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• क्रीडतः: of (one who is) playing
• क्रीडतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्तः—शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकर्तरि; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; (तस्य इत्यर्थे)

• बालकस्य: of a child
• बालकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Comparator (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमार्थक-निपात (comparative particle)

• चेष्टाः: activities, movements
• चेष्टाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेष्टा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him/that (Lord)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• निशामय: observe, behold
• निशामय: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + शम्/शम (धातु) (निशामयति)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord is simultaneously Viṣṇu (manifest), the unmanifest, Puruṣa, and Kāla; creation’s movements are His līlā.

Vedantic Theme: Līlā-vāda alongside non-duality: the Absolute appears as many without losing transcendence; time and causality are within His sovereignty.

Application: Transform fear of change into devotion: treat life’s flux as līlā; cultivate remembrance during transitions and uncertainty.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana devotional passages praising Viṣṇu as both immanent and transcendent (general)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Purusha
• Kala (Time)

FAQs

What is the importance of the manifest (vyakta) and unmanifest (avyakta) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the Supreme as both the perceptible world (vyakta) and the subtle, unconditioned source (avyakta), teaching non-dual divine sovereignty over all states of existence.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By identifying the Supreme as Puruṣa and also as Time (kāla), it implies that the soul’s changing states and journeys occur within His governance—encouraging surrender and right understanding rather than fear of change.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steadiness: see life’s shifts as governed by a higher order (kāla) and respond with dharmic action and devotion, rather than anxiety or attachment to temporary forms.