Shloka 22

Cosmic Appointments, Viṣṇu’s Vibhūtis, Fourfold Operation, and the Symbolism of Ornaments and Weapons

Devanagari script

एकेनांशेन ब्रह्मासौ भवत्य् अव्यक्तमूर्तिमान् मरीचिमिश्राः पतयः प्रजानाम् अन्यभागतः

Transliteration

ekenāṃśena brahmāsau bhavaty avyaktamūrtimān marīcimiśrāḥ patayaḥ prajānām anyabhāgataḥ

Translation

Bằng một phần của Ngài, Ngài trở thành Brahmā với hình tướng chưa hiển lộ; và từ phần khác phát sinh Marīci cùng các Prajāpati, những bậc chủ trì dòng giống muôn loài.

Word by Word

• ekena: by one
• ekena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; अंशेन इति विशेषण

• aṃśena: by a portion
• aṃśena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• asau: that (one)
• asau: Karta (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; brahmā इति समनाधिकरण

• bhavati: becomes/is
• bhavati: Kriya (verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• avyaktamūrtimān: having an unmanifest form
• avyaktamūrtimān: Viśeṣaṇa (adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyakta + mūrti + mat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (avyaktā mūrtiḥ yasya = having an unmanifest form) + मतुप्-प्रत्यय (possessive -mān); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; brahmā इति विशेषण

• marīcimiśrāḥ: (those) with Marīci and others
• marīcimiśrāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: marīci + miśra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (marīci-miśrāḥ = those together with Marīci) समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• patayaḥ: lords
• patayaḥ: Karta (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; marīcimiśrāḥ इति समनाधिकरण

• prajānām: of creatures/progeny
• prajānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• anyabhāgataḥ: from another portion
• anyabhāgataḥ: Apādāna (Source sense/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anya + bhāga + tas (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = 'from another portion/side'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Brahmā and the Prajāpatis arise as portions of Viṣṇu in the process of creation

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: By one aṃśa the Lord becomes Brahmā (linked with the unmanifest causal state), and by another aṃśa arise Marīci and the other Prajāpatis who preside over generation.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Honor creator and progenitor principles as delegated powers; keep devotion focused on Viṣṇu as the source behind all secondary causes.

Vishishtadvaita: Clarifies hierarchical causality: Brahmā and Prajāpatis are real, empowered dependents (aṃśa-sambandha), while Viṣṇu remains the ultimate cause and inner ruler.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahmā
• Marīci

FAQs

What is the significance of “aṁśa” (portion) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It presents creation as an emanation from the Supreme: cosmic roles like Brahmā and the Prajāpatis arise from distinct “portions,” emphasizing Vishnu’s sovereignty while explaining the diversification of functions in creation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the emergence of Brahmā and the Prajāpatis here?

Parāśara frames them as manifestations from the Supreme Being—Brahmā from one portion, and Marīci and the other progenitor-lords from another—placing all creative agency within a single transcendent source.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Vishnu is implied as the ultimate ground from whom creatorhood and progenitorship proceed; the verse supports a Vaishnava view where even Brahmā’s creative capacity is derivative of the Supreme.