Shloka 63

वासुदेवस्वरूपनिरूपणं—सर्गक्रमश्च

Vāsudeva’s Nature and the Ordered Process of Creation

Devanagari script

संभक्षयित्वा भूतानि जगत्य् एकार्णवीकृते नागपर्यङ्कशयने शेते ऽसौ परमेश्वरः

Transliteration

saṃbhakṣayitvā bhūtāni jagaty ekārṇavīkṛte nāgaparyaṅkaśayane śete 'sau parameśvaraḥ

Translation

Having reabsorbed and consumed all beings, when the world has become a single, undivided ocean, that Supreme Lord reclines in yogic repose upon the serpent-couch.

Word by Word

• संभक्षयित्वा: having completely devoured
• संभक्षयित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), धातु: भक्ष् (भक्षणे) उपसर्ग: सम्

• भूतानि: beings
• भूतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• जगति: when the world (is)
• जगति: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• एकार्णवीकृते: made into one ocean (a single flood)
• एकार्णवीकृते: Adhikarana (Location/State/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from √कृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: एकः अर्णवः इव कृतम् (made into a single ocean)

• नागपर्यङ्कशयने: on the serpent-couch bed
• नागपर्यङ्कशयने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्यङ्क (प्रातिपदिक) + शयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (श्रृङ्खला): नागस्य पर्यङ्कः, तस्मिन् शयनम्

• शेते: lies; rests
• शेते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• असौ: that one; he
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: परमः ईश्वरः

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The Lord’s state after dissolution—cosmic ocean and serpent-couch repose

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After reabsorbing beings, the Supreme Lord rests in yogic repose upon Ananta in the unified cosmic waters, holding creation in latency.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Use the image of Nārāyaṇa’s yoganidrā for meditation: let thoughts subside into stillness while retaining inner devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: The universe persists as the Lord’s subtle mode during dissolution—real yet unmanifest, dependent on Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shesha (Ananta/Nāga)

FAQs

What is the significance of the world becoming a single ocean (ekārṇava) in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks pralaya, when differentiated creation is withdrawn and the cosmos returns to an undivided, flooded state before the next cycle begins.

How does Sage Parāśara explain dissolution in this context?

He portrays dissolution as the Lord’s sovereign act of reabsorbing beings into Himself, after which He rests upon Śeṣa in the cosmic waters.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is presented as Parameśvara—the supreme reality who governs creation and dissolution, remaining transcendent even as the universe is reabsorbed.