Shloka 121

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

अजैकपाद् अहिर्बुध्न्यस् त्वष्टा रुद्रश् च बुद्धिमान् त्वष्टुश् चाप्य् आत्मजः पुत्रो विश्वरूपो महातपाः

Transliteration

ajaikapād ahirbudhnyas tvaṣṭā rudraś ca buddhimān tvaṣṭuś cāpy ātmajaḥ putro viśvarūpo mahātapāḥ

Translation

他们之中有阿阇一足（Ajaikapāda）与阿希尔布德尼亚（Ahirbudhnya）；又有工匠神特瓦什特里（Tvaṣṭṛ）与睿智的鲁陀罗（Rudra）。并且由特瓦什特里生出其子——大苦行者毗湿瓦卢帕（Viśvarūpa）。

Word by Word

• अजैकपात्: Ajaikapād (a Rudra-name)
• अजैकपात्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज + एक + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अजः+एकः+पादः)

• अहिर्बुध्न्यः: Ahirbudhnya (a Rudra-name)
• अहिर्बुध्न्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहि + बुध्न्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अहिः+बुध्न्यः)

• त्वष्टा: Tvaṣṭā (a Rudra-name)
• त्वष्टा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ऋकारान्त-प्रातिपदिक (त्वष्टृ)

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• बुद्धिमान्: wise, intelligent
• बुद्धिमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुद्धिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (to रुद्रः/नामसमूहः)

• त्वष्टुः: of Tvaṣṭā
• त्वष्टुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (particle: also/even)

• आत्मजः: son (born of)
• आत्मजः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आत्मनः जायते इति)

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; आत्मजः इत्यस्य समानाधिकरणम्

• विश्वरूपः: Viśvarūpa (a name)
• विश्वरूपः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (विश्वं रूपं यस्य/विश्व-रूपः)

• महातपाः: of great austerity
• महातपाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय; विशेषण (viśvarūpaḥ)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Enumeration of divine classes within creation (Rudras and related deities)

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The differentiated divine powers (Rudras and their progeny) arise in an ordered succession within secondary creation under the supreme causality and governance of Viṣṇu.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate apparent multiplicity as coordinated functions within a single divine order, reducing sectarian conflict and strengthening reverence.

Vishishtadvaita: Many real divine and cosmic entities subsist as dependent modes (prakāras) of the one Supreme, who remains their inner ruler (antaryāmin).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Ajaikapāda
• Ahirbudhnya
• Tvaṣṭṛ
• Rudra
• Viśvarūpa

FAQs

What is the significance of listing Rudras like Ajaikapāda and Ahirbudhnya in the Vishnu Purana?

The enumeration maps the divine offices that sustain cosmic order, showing how specific Rudra-forms function as regulated powers within creation rather than independent supreme principles.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the appearance of beings like Tvaṣṭṛ and Viśvarūpa?

He presents them as part of an emanational lineage—deities and their progeny arising in sequence—so the cosmos is understood through structured generation and assigned roles.

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

Even while naming many divine powers, the Purana’s cosmology frames them as subordinate functions within the one sovereign reality—Viṣṇu—who grounds and coordinates the created order.