Shloka 74
प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः
रूपं महत् ते ऽच्युत यत्र विश्वं यतश् च सूक्ष्मं जगद् एतद् ईश रूपाणि सूक्ष्माणि च भूतभेदास् तेष्व् अन्तर् आत्माख्यम् अतीव सूक्ष्मम्
rūpaṃ mahat te 'cyuta yatra viśvaṃ yataś ca sūkṣmaṃ jagad etad īśa rūpāṇi sūkṣmāṇi ca bhūtabhedās teṣv antar ātmākhyam atīva sūkṣmam
O Acyuta, Your form is vast, for within it the whole universe abides; and from You, O Lord, this entire world—subtle in its essence—arises. Beings appear in gross and subtle forms, yet within them You dwell as the inner Self, the Antaryāmin, most exceedingly subtle.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; verse voiced as an address to Vishnu within the exposition)
Creation Stage: Secondary
Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)
Concept: The universe abides in the Lord’s vast form, the subtle cosmos arises from Him, and He indwells differentiated beings as the Antaryāmin (inner ruler).
Vedantic Theme: Atman
Application: In meditation, contemplate the Lord as both the cosmic support and the inner witness, integrating awe with inward self-inquiry.
Vishishtadvaita: Explicit Antaryāmin doctrine: real plurality of beings (gross/subtle) with the Lord as their indwelling Self and causal ground.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Shanta
Antaryamin: Yes
Jagat Karana: Yes
FAQs
This verse identifies Vishnu as the indwelling Self within all differentiated beings, showing divine immanence: the Lord pervades and governs creation from within while remaining supremely subtle.
He presents the world as arising from Vishnu in a subtle (sūkṣma) manner and manifesting as diverse beings with both subtle and gross forms, all contained in and sustained by the Lord’s vast cosmic form.
Vishnu is portrayed as both transcendent (exceedingly subtle as the inner Self) and immanent (the universe rests in his form), supporting Vaishnava Vedanta where the Supreme Reality pervades and upholds all existence.