Shloka 28

Adhyāya 42 — Mahābhūta–Indriya–Adhyātma-Vyavasthā

Brahmā’s Instruction on Elements and Faculties

Devanagari script

वैश्वदेवी ततः पूर्वा वागध्यात्ममिहोच्यते

Transliteration

vaiśvadevī tataḥ pūrvā vāg adhyātmam iha ucyate

Translation

风神伐由说道：“先有毗湿瓦提微（Vaiśvadevī）之相——普遍而神圣；继而在此教说中，言语（vāc）被阐释为阿底耶特摩（adhyātma）之义——内在而灵性的言说。”

Word by Word

• वैश्वदेवी: the Vaiśvadevī (hymn/speech relating to the Viśvedevas)
• वैश्वदेवी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्वदेवी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then; thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• पूर्वा: former; earlier; preceding
• पूर्वा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वाक्: speech; utterance
• वाक्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अध्यात्मम्: the spiritual/inner (doctrine); pertaining to the self
• अध्यात्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्यात्म
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इह: here; in this context
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• उच्यते: is said; is stated
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Present, Passive, Third, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Vāk (Speech, as a principle)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a hierarchy of understanding: first a universal/divine (vaiśvadevī) perspective is established, and then speech (vāk) is explained not merely as external words but as an inner, spiritual principle (adhyātma), implying ethical discipline and inward alignment behind utterance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is speaking and introducing an ordered exposition: he indicates what comes first (the vaiśvadevī aspect) and then announces that, in this discourse, speech will be taught in its adhyātma (inner, self-related) dimension.