Shloka 13

आदित्यकर्म, त्रयीमयी वैष्णवी शक्तिः, सवितुरन्तर्यामी

The Sun’s Function and Vishnu’s Vedic Śakti within Savitṛ

Devanagari script

सर्गादौ ऋङ्मयो ब्रह्मा स्थितौ विष्णुर् यजुर्मयः रुद्रः साममयो ऽन्ताय तस्मात् तस्याशुचिर् ध्वनिः

Transliteration

sargādau ṛṅmayo brahmā sthitau viṣṇur yajurmayaḥ rudraḥ sāmamayo 'ntāya tasmāt tasyāśucir dhvaniḥ

Translation

在创造之初，梵天具《梨俱》之性，化为本初圣颂；在维持之时，毗湿奴具《夜柔》之性，体现祭祀法则与护持之权。至于毁灭，鲁陀罗具《娑摩》之性，以圣歌引万有归于终尽；因此从那终末阶段生起不净的回响，乃趋向止息之不祥之声。

Word by Word

• सर्ग-आदौ: at the beginning of creation
• सर्ग-आदौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सर्गस्य आदौ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (locative of time)

• ऋक्-मयः: consisting of the Ṛg (Veda)
• ऋक्-मयः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋक् (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक/तद्धितार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ऋग्मयः = ऋचा मयः (made of/consisting of Ṛg-veda)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• स्थितौ: in (the time of) maintenance
• स्थितौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; स्थितौ = स्थितौ (in the state of maintenance)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• यजुः-मयः: consisting of the Yajus (Veda)
• यजुः-मयः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक/तद्धितार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; यजुर्मयः = यजुषा मयः (consisting of Yajur-veda)

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

• साम-मयः: consisting of the Sāman (Veda)
• साम-मयः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक/तद्धितार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; साममयः = साम्ना मयः (consisting of Sāma-veda)

• अन्ताय: for dissolution / at the end
• अन्ताय: Sampradana (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदानार्थे (for the end/dissolution)

• तस्मात्: from him/therefore
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• अशुचिः: impure
• अशुचिः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ध्वनेः विशेषणम्

• ध्वनिः: sound
• ध्वनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The three cosmic functions—creation, preservation, and dissolution—are expressed through Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra, each correlated with a Vedic mode (Ṛg, Yajus, Sāman).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Contemplate how ritual (yajus) and praise (ṛk/sāman) align one’s life with sustaining order rather than disorder.

Vishishtadvaita: Viṣṇu’s sustaining function is presented as sovereign and Veda-grounded, implying governance of the cosmos as the inner ruler of ordered existence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Rudra

FAQs

What is the significance of linking Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra with the Vedas in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents the Vedas as cosmic principles: Ṛg as the creative hymn (Brahmā), Yajus as the law of sacrifice and order that sustains the world (Viṣṇu), and Sāman as the chant associated with dissolution (Rudra). It frames universal functions as expressions of sacred sound.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Viṣṇu’s role in the cosmic cycle here?

Parāśara places Viṣṇu specifically in “sthiti” (preservation), describing him as “yajurmayaḥ”—the embodiment of Yajurvedic order, ritual law, and governance of continuity, emphasizing Viṣṇu’s sovereignty over the maintained cosmos.

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

Viṣṇu is portrayed as the stabilizing Supreme Reality whose sustaining power is identical with Vedic dharma (Yajus). The verse supports a Vaiṣṇava reading where preservation is not secondary, but the central, law-bearing mode of the Divine in the world.