Shloka 79

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

Devanagari script

लोकात्ममूर्तिः सर्वेषां पूर्वेषाम् अपि पूर्वजः आधारः सर्वविद्यानां स्वयम् एव हरिः स्थितः

Transliteration

lokātmamūrtiḥ sarveṣāṃ pūrveṣām api pūrvajaḥ ādhāraḥ sarvavidyānāṃ svayam eva hariḥ sthitaḥ

Translation

হৰি স্বয়ং সকলোৰে লোকাত্মা-মূৰ্তি। তেওঁ প্ৰাচীনসকলতকৈও প্ৰাচীন, পূৰ্বজসকলৰো আদিপিতা; সকলো বিদ্যাৰ আধাৰ আৰু পৰম আশ্ৰয় ৰূপে তেওঁৱেই প্ৰতিষ্ঠিত।

Word by Word

लोकात्ममूर्तिःthe embodiment of the world-soul

सर्वेषाम्of all

पूर्वेषाम्of the former ones

अपिalso/even

पूर्वजःthe progenitor of the ancients

आधारःsupport/basis

सर्वविद्यानाम्of all knowledges/sciences

स्वयम्by himself

एवindeed

हरिःHari (Vishnu)

स्थितःabides/is established

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being called the ‘Self of the world’ (lokātman) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Vishnu as the indwelling reality of the cosmos—present within all beings as their inner ground, not merely as an external creator.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Vishnu’s priority over all beings and even the ‘ancients’?

By calling Hari the ‘pūrvajaḥ’ even of the ‘pūrveṣām,’ Parāśara asserts Vishnu’s absolute primacy: all prior beings and cosmic principles depend on Him as their source.

What is the theological importance of Hari being the foundation of all knowledge (sarvavidyānām ādhāraḥ)?

It frames all true knowledge—Vedic, spiritual, and worldly—as ultimately grounded in Vishnu, reinforcing Vaishnava Vedanta where the Supreme Lord is the support and goal of understanding.