Shloka 21

वेन-पृथु-प्रादुर्भावः, राजधर्मः, पृथिवीदोहनम्

Vena–Pṛthu Episode and the Milking of Earth

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा जनार्दनः शंभुर् इन्द्रो वायुर् यमो रविः हुतभुग् वरुणो धाता पूषा भूमिर् निशाकरः

Transliteration

brahmā janārdanaḥ śaṃbhur indro vāyur yamo raviḥ hutabhug varuṇo dhātā pūṣā bhūmir niśākaraḥ

Translation

He is Brahmā; He is Janārdana; He is Śambhu. He is Indra, Vāyu, Yama, and the Sun. He is Agni who receives the oblations; He is Varuṇa; He is Dhātā and Pūṣan; He is the Earth and the Moon—one Lord abiding as all these powers.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; रूपम् ‘ब्रह्मा’ (प्रथमा एकवचन)

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Vishnu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शंभुः: Śambhu (Shiva)
• शंभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वायुः: Vāyu (wind-god)
• वायुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रविः: Ravi (Sun)
• रविः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हुतभुक्: Agni (consumer of offerings)
• हुतभुक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुत + भुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘eater of oblations’), पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रातिपदिक ‘हुतभुज्’ (अन्त्य-व्यञ्जन ‘ज्’→पदान्ते ‘क्’)

• वरुणः: Varuṇa
• वरुणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धाता: Dhātā (the Creator/Sustainer)
• धाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; रूपम् ‘धाता’ (धातृ-शब्दस्य प्रथमा एकवचन)

• पूषा: Pūṣan
• पूषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; रूपम् ‘पूषा’ (पूषन्-शब्दस्य प्रथमा एकवचन)

• भूमिः: Earth
• भूमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निशाकरः: Moon (night-maker)
• निशाकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘maker of night’), पुँलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The One Lord is the inner ruler and functional power behind Brahmā, Śiva, and the devas, appearing as their cosmic offices and energies.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: See divine governance in all lawful powers of nature and society; cultivate reverence without fragmenting ultimate devotion away from the Supreme.

Vishishtadvaita: Supports qualified non-dualism: many divine functions and personal gods exist as real modes/expressions under the one supreme Narayana as antaryāmin.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Janardana)
• Brahma
• Shiva (Shambhu)
• Indra
• Vayu
• Yama
• Surya (Ravi)
• Agni (Hutabhuj)
• Varuna
• Dhata
• Pusha
• Bhumi (Earth)
• Chandra (Nishakara)

FAQs

What is the significance of listing many gods in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse asserts a theological unity: the various deities and cosmic regulators are expressions of the one Supreme Lord (Janārdana), who functions through them as the inner ruler.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme Reality through these names?

By identifying Vishnu with Brahmā, Śiva, and the principal devas (Indra, Agni, Varuṇa, etc.), Parāśara teaches that creation, nourishment, judgment, and cosmic order are ultimately grounded in the one Lord.

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

Vishnu is presented as the all-pervading Supreme who both transcends and indwells the cosmos—so devotion and understanding converge on Him as the source and support of every divine function.