Shloka 20

प्रह्लादचरितम् (हिरण्यकशिपोः स्वर्गापहरणं, प्रह्लादस्य विष्णुभक्तिः, उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

शास्ता विष्णुर् अशेषस्य जगतो यो हृदि स्थितः तम् ऋते परमात्मानं तात कः केन शास्यते

Transliteration

śāstā viṣṇur aśeṣasya jagato yo hṛdi sthitaḥ tam ṛte paramātmānaṃ tāta kaḥ kena śāsyate

Translation

Vishnu alone is the sovereign of the entire universe, He who abides within the heart. Apart from that Supreme Self, dear one, who could govern whom, and by what authority?

Word by Word

• शास्ता: ruler, governor
• शास्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-नाम (agent noun)

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अशेषस्य: of the entire, of all without remainder
• अशेषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्थितः: situated, abiding
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ऋते: without, except
• ऋते: N/A
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद-निपात (preposition-like particle) ‘without/except’; द्वितीयानिर्देशेन सह

• परमात्मानम्: the Supreme Self
• परमात्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (परमः आत्मा)

• तात: dear one, child
• तात: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• केन: by whom, with what
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• शास्यते: will rule/govern
• शास्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शास् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Only Viṣṇu, present as the Paramātman in the heart, is the true ruler; all other claims to authority are derivative.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice daily remembrance that the same Lord abides in oneself and others, softening ego and grounding ethical action.

Vishishtadvaita: Antaryāmin: the Supreme is immanent within finite selves while remaining the sovereign Lord.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Teaching (Prahlada's schools)

Bhakti Quality: Antaryāmi-bhāvanā—steadfast awareness of Viṣṇu as the indwelling ruler in all hearts.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being 'in the heart' in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Vishnu as the Antaryāmin—the indwelling Supreme Self—implying that all consciousness, moral order, and governance ultimately arise from His inner presence.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept of ultimate authority here?

Parāśara argues that without the Paramatman (Vishnu), no ruler and no instrument of rule can function—every form of command or control is dependent on Him as the foundational reality.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as Para Brahman/Paramatman—supreme, immanent, and sovereign—supporting a Vaishnava view where cosmic order and worldly power are secondary expressions of His will.