Shloka 69

Devanagari script

तद् एव भगवद्वाच्यं स्वरूपं परमात्मनः वाचको भगवच्छब्दस् तस्याद्यस्याक्षयात्मनः

Transliteration

tad eva bhagavadvācyaṃ svarūpaṃ paramātmanaḥ vācako bhagavacchabdas tasyādyasyākṣayātmanaḥ

Translation

สภาวะนั้นเองคือธรรมชาติของปรมาตมันที่คำว่า “ภควาน” หมายถึง; และคำว่า “ภควาน” เป็นถ้อยคำเรียกโดยตรงของพระองค์ผู้เป็นปฐม ผู้มีอาตมันไม่เสื่อมสูญ

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (restrictive particle)

• भगवद्वाच्यम्: denoted by the word ‘bhagavat’
• भगवद्वाच्यम्: Pratijna/Predicate adjective
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + वाच्य (प्रातिपदिक; √वच् (धातु) + ण्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (भगवता वाच्यम्/भगवच्छब्देन वाच्यम् = ‘denoted by “bhagavat”’), ण्यत्-कृदन्त

• स्वरूपम्: essential nature
• स्वरूपम्: Pratijna/Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (स्वं रूपम् = ‘own nature/form’)

• परमात्मनः: of the Supreme Self
• परमात्मनः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (परमः आत्मा = ‘Supreme Self’)

• वाचकः: denoter, signifier
• वाचकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाचक (प्रातिपदिक; √वच् (धातु) + ण्वुल्/अक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• भगवच्छब्दः: the word ‘bhagavat’
• भगवच्छब्दः: Pratijna/Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (भगवतः शब्दः/‘bhagavat’-शब्दः)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आद्यस्य: of the primordial/first
• आद्यस्य: Visheshana (to अक्षयात्मनः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अक्षयात्मनः: of the imperishable Self
• अक्षयात्मनः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक; अ- + क्षय) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (अक्षयः आत्मा यस्य = ‘whose self is imperishable’/‘imperishable self’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The semantic-theological import of the epithet ‘Bhagavān’ as denoting the Supreme Self’s imperishable essence.

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: ‘Bhagavān’ is not a mere honorific but a precise designation of the imperishable Supreme Self’s very nature.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Use nāma-japa and scriptural reflection together: contemplate the meaning of ‘Bhagavān’ while chanting, so devotion is informed by tattva-jñāna.

Vishishtadvaita: Name and nature are linked: the personal Lord (Bhagavān) is identical with the Supreme Self, supporting a theistic Brahman central to Viśiṣṭādvaita.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Paramatman

FAQs

What is the significance of the term “Bhagavān” in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that “Bhagavān” is not merely an honorific; it directly denotes the essential nature (svarūpa) of the Supreme Self—imperishable and primordial.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between a divine name and the Supreme Reality?

Parāśara frames the word as a vācaka (designator) that points to what is vācya (denoted): the Paramātman’s true nature, emphasizing that language here functions as a theological marker of the Supreme.

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

Vishnu (as Bhagavān/Paramātman) is presented as the primal, undecaying ground of existence—supporting later Vaishnava readings where the Supreme is personal yet metaphysically absolute.