Shloka 17

नग्न-परिभाषा तथा देव-स्तोत्रपूर्वक मायामोह-उत्पत्ति

Defining ‘Nagna’ and the Devas’ Hymn Leading to Māyāmoha

Devanagari script

शक्रार्करुद्रवस्वश्विमरुत्सोमादिभेदवत् वयम् एवं स्वरूपं ते तस्मै देवात्मने नमः

Transliteration

śakrārkarudravasvaśvimarutsomādibhedavat vayam evaṃ svarūpaṃ te tasmai devātmane namaḥ

Translation

正如你的存在似乎分别显现为因陀罗、太阳神、鲁陀罗、诸婆苏、阿湿毗尼、诸摩鲁特、苏摩等众神，我们亦认知这一切皆是你的本相。因此，我们向那以神性为体、为诸神内住之魂的一者恭敬顶礼。

Word by Word

• शक्र-अर्क-रुद्र-वस्व-अश्वि-मरुत्-सोम-आदि-भेद-वत्: having divisions such as Indra, Sun, Rudra, Vasus, Aśvins, Maruts, Soma, etc.
• शक्र-अर्क-रुद्र-वस्व-अश्वि-मरुत्-सोम-आदि-भेद-वत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वसु (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक) + मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुषः; वत्-प्रत्यय (having)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); सर्वनाम

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/in this way’)

• स्वरूपम्: form, nature
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) (क्वचित् चतुर्थी-रूपेणापि); अत्र सम्बन्धे

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative)

• देव-आत्मने: to the one whose self is divine (the divine-souled)
• देव-आत्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), पुल्लिङ्ग; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (देवः आत्मा/स्वरूपं यस्य)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नमस्-शब्दः; अव्ययवत् नमस्कारार्थे

Speaker

Likely Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya in a praise-context within the cosmological exposition)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the one Lord appears as the many devas while remaining their indwelling self

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The differentiated forms of the gods are manifestations within the Lord’s own being; He is their devātmā (indwelling essence).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Respect all legitimate deities and cosmic functions while directing ultimate surrender to Nārāyaṇa as the inner ruler of all.

Vishishtadvaita: Integrates devatā-bheda as real functional plurality grounded in one śarīrī (Nārāyaṇa), preserving both unity and hierarchical theism.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Indra (Śakra)
• Surya (Arka)
• Rudra
• Vasus
• Ashvins
• Maruts
• Soma

FAQs

What is the significance of describing many gods as forms of one reality in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames the devas (Indra, Surya, Rudra, etc.) as differentiated expressions of the one Supreme Lord, emphasizing a single sovereign source behind cosmic governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between Vishnu and the devas?

By presenting Vishnu as devātmā—the inner essence of divinity—Parāśara conveys that the gods operate as powers and offices sustained by Vishnu’s own being.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is praised as the Supreme Reality whose svarūpa underlies all divine forms, supporting a Vaishnava view where plurality of gods does not contradict the Lord’s ultimate unity and supremacy.