Shloka 57

प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

भूर्लोकम् अखिलं दृष्ट्वा प्लाव्यमानं महाम्भसा हिरण्यकशिपुर् दैत्यान् इदम् आह महामुने

Transliteration

bhūrlokam akhilaṃ dṛṣṭvā plāvyamānaṃ mahāmbhasā hiraṇyakaśipur daityān idam āha mahāmune

Translation

O great sage, seeing the entire Bhurloka overwhelmed and being swept by the vast waters, Hiranyakashipu addressed the Daityas with these words.

Word by Word

• भूर्लोकम्: the earth-world
• भूर्लोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूः (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भूः-लोकः)

• अखिलम्: entire
• अखिलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भूर्लोकम्)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; ‘having seen’

• प्लाव्यमानम्: being flooded
• प्लाव्यमानम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्लु (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्), कर्मणि प्रयोग; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भूर्लोकम्)

• महाम्भसा: by great waters
• महाम्भसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महद् अम्भः)

• हिरण्यकशिपुः: Hiraṇyakaśipu
• हिरण्यकशिपुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कशिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हिरण्यस्य कशिपुः)

• दैत्यान्: the Daityas (demons)
• दैत्यान्: Sampradana (Addressee/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान/कर्म), बहुवचन

• इदम्: this (speech/statement)
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् मुनिः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; direct speaker within the scene is Hiraṇyakaśipu addressing the Daityas)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Persecution

Bhakti Quality: Steadfast, fear-free devotion (avyabhicāriṇī bhakti) despite threat

Characters & Entities

• Hiraṇyakaśipu
• Daityas
• Bhūrloka

FAQs

What is the significance of the flooding of Bhūrloka in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals a moment of cosmic instability where the earth-world is overwhelmed by primordial waters, setting the narrative stage for restoration of order—an underlying theme that culminates in Vishnu’s role as preserver.

How does Sage Parāśara frame this event in the dialogue with Maitreya?

Parāśara narrates the scene as a historical-cosmic episode, marking a turning point: Hiraṇyakaśipu reacts to the deluge and speaks to his Daitya followers, advancing the storyline within the larger creation-cycle discourse.

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

Even when not named in the verse, the deluge-and-response motif points to the Purana’s core theology: cosmic disorder is temporary, and ultimate sovereignty belongs to Vishnu, who restores and sustains dharma and the worlds.