Shloka 37

विषप्रयोगः कृत्योत्पादनं च (प्रह्लादस्य अवध्यता, कृत्याविनाशः, पुरोहितानां रक्षणम्)

Devanagari script

यथा सर्वेषु भूतेषु सर्वव्यापी जगद्गुरुः विष्णुर् एव तथा सर्वे जीवन्त्व् एते पुरोहिताः

Transliteration

yathā sarveṣu bhūteṣu sarvavyāpī jagadguruḥ viṣṇur eva tathā sarve jīvantv ete purohitāḥ

Translation

Just as Viṣṇu alone—the all-pervading Guru of the universe—abides within all beings, so may all these priests live on, sustained and protected.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/यथार्थक अव्यय (correlative adverb)

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (भूतेषु)

• भूतेषु: beings
• भूतेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• सर्वव्यापी: all-pervading
• सर्वव्यापी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वव्यापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: सर्व + व्यापिन् (तत्पुरुष); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विष्णुः)

• जगद्गुरुः: teacher of the world
• जगद्गुरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: जगत् + गुरु (तत्पुरुष); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विष्णोः विशेषणम्

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/अवधारण अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: तथार्थक अव्यय (correlative adverb)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुरोहिताः)

• जीवन्तु: may (they) live
• जीवन्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुरोहिताः)

• पुरोहिताः: priests
• पुरोहिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Because Viṣṇu, the jagad-guru, pervades all beings as antaryāmin, protection and life can be invoked through that truth.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Practice daily antaryāmin-dhyāna—seeing the Lord within oneself and others—to cultivate fearlessness and compassion.

Vishishtadvaita: Antaryāmin doctrine: the Lord indwells all jīvas while remaining their transcendent ruler, aligning with qualified non-dualism.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Purohitas (priests)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being called sarvavyāpī (all-pervading) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse affirms Vishnu’s omnipresence as the inner ground of all beings, framing him as the sustaining reality behind both cosmic life and social-religious order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Vishnu’s relationship to the world in this context?

Parāśara uses a direct analogy: as Vishnu pervades all creatures, so the continued life of the priests is invoked—linking metaphysical sovereignty with the preservation of dharmic institutions.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here for Vaishnava philosophy?

Vishnu is presented as the supreme, universal presence (not merely one deity among others), supporting Vishishtadvaita/Dvaita readings where the world depends on Vishnu’s sustaining power.