Shloka 66

प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मत्वे सृजते विश्वं स्थितौ पालयते पुनः रुद्ररूपाय कल्पान्ते नमस् तुभ्यं त्रिमूर्तये

Transliteration

brahmatve sṛjate viśvaṃ sthitau pālayate punaḥ rudrarūpāya kalpānte namas tubhyaṃ trimūrtaye

Translation

As Brahmā, You bring forth the universe; in the time of sustaining, You protect it again; and at the end of an aeon, assuming the form of Rudra, You dissolve it. Salutations to You—the One who is the Trimūrti.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मत्वे: in the state/role of Brahmāhood
• ब्रह्मत्वे: Adhikarana (State/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मत्व (प्रातिपदिक: ब्रह्मन्+त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन = Neuter, Locative singular

• सृजते: creates
• सृजते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन = Present, 3rd person singular; आत्मनेपदम्

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन = Neuter, Accusative singular

• स्थितौ: in preservation/maintenance
• स्थितौ: Adhikarana (State/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन = Feminine, Locative singular

• पालयते: protects
• पालयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन = Present, 3rd person singular; आत्मनेपदम्

• पुनः: again; further
• पुनः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (पुनरावृत्तिवाचक) = adverb 'again/further'

• रुद्ररूपाय: to (you) in Rudra-form
• रुद्ररूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्ररूप (प्रातिपदिक: रुद्र+रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन = Masculine, Dative singular; समासः: तत्पुरुष ('in the form of Rudra')

• कल्पान्ते: at the end of the aeon
• कल्पान्ते: Adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्पान्त (प्रातिपदिक: कल्प+अन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन = Masculine, Locative singular; समासः: तत्पुरुष ('at the end of the kalpa')

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayoga (Salutation formula)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (नमस्कारार्थक-निपात)

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन = Dative singular (2nd person pronoun)

• त्रिमूर्तये: to the three-formed one (Trimūrti)
• त्रिमूर्तये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिमूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक: त्रि+मूर्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन = Feminine, Dative singular; समासः: द्विगु ('three-formed one')

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing the Supreme Lord, taught within the Parāśara–Maitreya dialogue)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu alone functions as creator, sustainer, and dissolver by assuming Brahmā-, Viṣṇu-, and Rudra-roles across the kalpa-cycle.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Contemplate change (birth, maintenance, endings) as movements within the Lord’s governance; cultivate steadiness and surrender during transitions.

Vishishtadvaita: The one Supreme Person is the inner ground of all divine functions (trimūrti), integrating plurality of roles within a single ultimate reality.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Rudra (Shiva)
• Trimurti

FAQs

What is the significance of the Trimūrti in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents the Trimūrti as functions assumed by the one Supreme Lord—creation as Brahmā, preservation in sustenance, and dissolution as Rudra—emphasizing a single sovereign source behind cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the cosmic cycle (kalpa) here?

He frames cosmic time as cyclical: the universe is created, maintained, and finally dissolved at kalpānta, with the same Supreme Reality presiding over each phase through different functional forms.

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

Vishnu is implied as the Supreme Reality who empowers and embodies the cosmic offices of Brahmā and Rudra, grounding creation, governance, and dissolution in one ultimate divine sovereignty.