Shloka 47

Devanagari script

देवा मनुष्याः पशवः पक्षिवृक्षसरीसृपाः रूपम् एतद् अनन्तस्य विष्णोर् भिन्नम् इव स्थितम्

Transliteration

devā manuṣyāḥ paśavaḥ pakṣivṛkṣasarīsṛpāḥ rūpam etad anantasya viṣṇor bhinnam iva sthitam

Translation

Gods, humans, beasts, birds, trees, and creeping creatures—this whole diversity is indeed the very form of Ananta Vishnu; it appears as though divided, yet in truth remains one.

Word by Word

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मनुष्याः: humans
• मनुष्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पशवः: animals
• पशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पक्षि-वृक्ष-सरीसृपाः: birds, trees, and reptiles
• पक्षि-वृक्ष-सरीसृपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + सरीसृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative)

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• अनन्तस्य: of the infinite one
• अनन्तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भिन्नम्: divided, distinct
• भिन्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिद् (धातु) → भिन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त/PPP)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (Comparative marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• स्थितम्: standing/remaining (as)
• स्थितम्: Kriya-visheshana/Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त/PPP)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nature of Viṣṇu as the all-pervading reality and how beings are His form

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All classes of beings are the manifold appearance of Ananta Viṣṇu, seemingly divided yet truly one reality.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Practice seeing dignity and sacredness in every life-form; reduce harm and cultivate equal regard.

Vishishtadvaita: Unity without erasing plurality: the many beings are real modes (prakāra) of the one Lord’s body (śarīra-śarīrī-bhāva).

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Teaching (Prahlada's schools)

Bhakti Quality: Viśvarūpa-darśana: seeing all beings as the Lord’s manifestation; non-sectarian reverence

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Ananta

FAQs

What is the significance of describing many species as Vishnu’s form in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents a cosmic theology: every class of being—from devas to plants and reptiles—is included within Vishnu’s all-pervading embodiment, grounding reverence for life in the Supreme.

How does Sage Parāśara explain unity and diversity in this context?

Parāśara states that the world appears “as if divided” (bhinnam iva), implying that perceived separations are manifestations within the One infinite Vishnu rather than independent realities.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is affirmed as Ananta—the infinite reality in whom all forms abide—supporting Vaishnava cosmology where creation is not outside God but exists as His pervasive presence.