Shloka 145

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

महार्णवान्तःसलिले स्थितस्य चलतो मही चचाल सकला यस्य पाशबद्धस्य धीमतः

Transliteration

mahārṇavāntaḥsalile sthitasya calato mahī cacāla sakalā yasya pāśabaddhasya dhīmataḥ

Translation

Though stationed within the waters of the great ocean, when that wise one—bound by the noose—moved, the entire earth trembled and shook with his motion.

Word by Word

• महार्णव-अन्तः-सलिले: in the waters within the great ocean
• महार्णव-अन्तः-सलिले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + अर्णव + अन्तः + सलिल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन — ‘in the water inside the great ocean’

• स्थितस्य: of (him) who was standing
• स्थितस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + स्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — ‘of (him) being situated’; कृदन्त (क्ता)

• चलतः: of (him) moving
• चलतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चल् (धातु) + चलत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) ‘of (him) moving’

• मही: the earth
• मही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• चचाल: shook/moved
• चचाल: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद — ‘shook/moved’

• सकला: entire
• सकला: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — ‘entire’

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• पाशबद्धस्य: of (him) bound by a noose
• पाशबद्धस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाश + बद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — ‘पाशेन बद्धः’ (bound with a noose); कृदन्त (बन्ध् धातोः क्त)

• धीमतः: of the wise one
• धीमतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — ‘wise/intelligent’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The earth’s stability ultimately depends on the Lord’s sovereign sustaining action, even when He appears ‘stationed’ within the cosmic waters.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Replace anxiety about worldly instability with contemplative trust (śaraṇāgati) in the sustaining order behind nature and history.

Vishishtadvaita: Jagat as real and supported: the world’s order is upheld by the personal Supreme (Nārāyaṇa) as inner governor and ground, not dismissed as mere illusion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (implied as the cosmic sustainer)
• Earth (Mahī)
• Cosmic Ocean (Mahārṇava)

FAQs

What is the significance of the cosmic ocean and the earth trembling in the Vishnu Purana?

It portrays the cosmos as upheld by the Supreme Lord: even the earth’s steadiness depends on His sustaining presence and regulated activity within the primordial waters.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine control over the universe in this passage?

By depicting a ‘wise one’ whose movement causes the whole earth to shake, Parāśara emphasizes that cosmic stability and change occur under a higher ordinance, not by chance.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is implied as the supreme sustainer (sthiti-kartā): immanent within creation yet sovereign over it, so that the world responds to His will and cosmic law.