Shloka 76

प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

सर्वभूतेषु सर्वात्मन् या शक्तिर् अपरा तव गुणाश्रया नमस् तस्यै शाश्वतायै सुरेश्वर

Transliteration

sarvabhūteṣu sarvātman yā śaktir aparā tava guṇāśrayā namas tasyai śāśvatāyai sureśvara

Translation

O All-Self present in every being, O Lord of the gods, salutations to Your eternal higher Śakti, which abides within the guṇas and yet upholds them.

Word by Word

• सर्वभूतेषु: in all beings
• सर्वभूतेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः कर्मधारयः (sarvāṇi bhūtāni)

• सर्वात्मन्: O all-souled one; O Self of all
• सर्वात्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः बहुव्रीहिः (yasya ātmā sarvaḥ = 'whose self is all')

• या: which
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शक्तिः: power
• शक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपरा: higher; other; transcendent
• अपरा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• गुणाश्रया: resting on the guṇas; based on qualities
• गुणाश्रया: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः तत्पुरुषः (guṇānām āśrayā)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Avyaya (Salutation/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय (indeclinable usage), नमस्कारार्थक-निपात (salutatory particle)

• तस्यै: to her; to that (power)
• तस्यै: Sampradana (Recipient/Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• शाश्वतायै: to the eternal (one)
• शाश्वतायै: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुरेश्वर: O Lord of the gods
• सुरेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः तत्पुरुषः (surāṇām īśvaraḥ)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Lord Viṣṇu as part of the theological exposition to Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord, as the Self of all beings, possesses an eternal higher Śakti that abides in the guṇas and sustains their functioning.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Reflect that nature’s qualities and mental states operate under the Lord’s sustaining power; cultivate sattva through disciplined life while offering all to Him.

Vishishtadvaita: Śakti-and-guṇa framework aligns with Viśiṣṭādvaita: prakṛti/guṇas are real and dependent modes upheld by the Lord’s supreme power (Śrī as inseparable śakti).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shakti (Divine Power)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the significance of the Lord’s Śakti resting in the guṇas in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse links cosmic manifestation to Viṣṇu’s eternal power: creation and change operate through sattva, rajas, and tamas, yet the governing Śakti remains divine and everlasting.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme Lord’s presence in all beings here?

By addressing Viṣṇu as “sarvātman” and placing His power “in all beings,” Parāśara frames the doctrine that the Lord indwells everything while still transcending the material guṇas that structure the world.

What is the theological importance of calling Viṣṇu “Sureśvara” in this context?

It emphasizes sovereignty: even the devas depend on Viṣṇu’s supreme reality and power, reinforcing that cosmic governance and liberation ultimately rest in Him.