Shloka 18
Cosmic Appointments, Viṣṇu’s Vibhūtis, Fourfold Operation, and the Symbolism of Ornaments and Weapons
वृक्षाणां पर्वतानां च ग्रहाणां चापि ये ऽधिपाः अतीता वर्तमानाश् च ये भविष्यन्ति चापरे ते सर्वे सर्वभूतस्य विष्णोर् अंशसमुद्भवाः
vṛkṣāṇāṃ parvatānāṃ ca grahāṇāṃ cāpi ye 'dhipāḥ atītā vartamānāś ca ye bhaviṣyanti cāpare te sarve sarvabhūtasya viṣṇor aṃśasamudbhavāḥ
বৃক্ষ, পর্বত ও গ্রহসমূহের যে যে অধিপতি—অতীত, বর্তমান ও ভবিষ্যতে যাঁরা থাকবেন—তাঁরা সকলেই সর্বভূতের অন্তর্যামী বিষ্ণুর অংশজাত।
Sage Parāśara
FAQs
This verse frames them as delegated cosmic authorities whose existence and power originate from Vishnu’s aṃśa, reinforcing that governance of nature and the heavens is ultimately rooted in the Supreme.
He states that the rulers of natural and astral domains appear in every time—past, present, and future—yet all are continuously generated from Vishnu, indicating an ongoing, ordered cycle rather than random change.
Vishnu is presented as the sarvabhūta-lord from whom all subordinate powers emerge, establishing him as the supreme ground of cosmic order while other deities function as dependent manifestations.