Shloka 14

Devanagari script

एते सर्वे प्रवृत्तस्य स्थितौ विष्णोर् महात्मनः विभूतिभूता राजानो ये चान्ये मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

ete sarve pravṛttasya sthitau viṣṇor mahātmanaḥ vibhūtibhūtā rājāno ye cānye munisattama

Translation

O best of sages, all these kings—and the others as well—are but manifestations of the glorious powers of great-souled Viṣṇu, who set the world in motion and abides as its sustaining order.

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (these)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (agreeing with एते/राजानः)

• प्रवृत्तस्य: of (him) who is active/engaged
• प्रवृत्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वृत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वृत्)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्; पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे; भूतकृदन्त-रूपम् (past participle used adjectivally): ‘of the active/engaged (one)’

• स्थितौ: in (his) sustaining state
• स्थितौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचनम् (locative singular)

• विष्णोः: of Vishnu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (genitive singular)

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled
• महात्मनः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (of the great-souled)

• विभूतिभूताः: become manifestations (of him)
• विभूतिभूताः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभूति (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भू)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुष-समासः (विभूतिरूपेण भूताः = having become manifestations)

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (nominative plural)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (others)

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (मुनिषु सत्तमः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The status of kings and great beings in relation to Viṣṇu’s sustaining power (sthiti).

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All royal and worldly powers are vibhūtis—derivative splendors—of Viṣṇu, who sustains the cosmos after setting it in motion.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate humility in positions of authority and see all competence and power as entrusted by the Supreme, to be used for dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms Viṣṇu as both transcendent Lord and immanent sustainer whose śaktis appear as finite authorities (vibhūti) without compromising divine fullness.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Kings
• Sages (Munis)

FAQs

What is the significance of calling kings 'vibhūtis' of Vishnu in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames political sovereignty as derivative—kings rule effectively only as expressions of Vishnu’s sustaining power, not as independent ultimate authorities.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between pravṛtti (worldly activity) and sthiti (preservation)?

He presents Vishnu as the one who initiates the world-process (pravṛtti) and simultaneously remains present as the stabilizing order (sthiti) that upholds it.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as the Supreme Reality whose divine potency appears as governance and order in the world, aligning worldly hierarchy with cosmic preservation.