Shloka 20

Devanagari script

सृजत्य् एष जगत् सृष्टौ स्थितौ पाति सनातनः हन्ति चैवान्तकत्वे च रजःसत्त्वादिसंश्रयः

Transliteration

sṛjaty eṣa jagat sṛṣṭau sthitau pāti sanātanaḥ hanti caivāntakatve ca rajaḥsattvādisaṃśrayaḥ

Translation

He, the Eternal One, creates the universe at creation, preserves it in continuance, and destroys it at dissolution; resting upon rajas, sattva, and the other guṇas, He alone acts.

Word by Word

• sṛjati: creates
• sṛjati: Kriya (verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• eṣaḥ: this (one)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• jagat: the world
• jagat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• sṛṣṭau: in creation
• sṛṣṭau: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• sthitau: in preservation
• sthitau: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• pāti: protects
• pāti: Kriya (verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• sanātanaḥ: the eternal one
• sanātanaḥ: Karta (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sanātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; eṣaḥ इति समनाधिकरण (apposition)

• hanti: destroys
• hanti: Kriya (verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (particle nuance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic/limiting particle)

• antakatve: in the role/state of the ender
• antakatve: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antaka + tva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; भाववाचक (abstract noun in -tva)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• rajaḥsattvādisaṃśrayaḥ: one who depends on rajas, sattva, etc.
• rajaḥsattvādisaṃśrayaḥ: Karta (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas + sattva + ādi + saṃśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः समास (rajaḥ-sattva-ādi-ānāṃ saṃśrayaḥ = resting on rajas, sattva, etc.); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; eṣaḥ/sanātanaḥ इति समनाधिकरण

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the one Lord performs creation, preservation, and dissolution through the guṇas while remaining eternal

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The eternal Lord alone creates, preserves, and dissolves the universe, operating through rajas, sattva, and the other guṇas while Himself remaining unchanged as Supreme.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: See change as guṇa-driven and cyclical; cultivate steadiness by anchoring the mind in the unchanging Lord through japa, study, and disciplined living.

Vishishtadvaita: Balances transcendence and immanence: Viṣṇu remains immutable yet truly acts through His modes (guṇas/prakṛti) as both efficient and material cause.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of the three functions—creation, preservation, and dissolution—in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that Vishnu alone performs all three cosmic functions (sṛṣṭi, sthiti, pralaya), establishing Him as the single sovereign principle behind the universe’s entire cycle.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of the guṇas in cosmic activity?

Parāśara indicates that Vishnu ‘rests upon’ rajas, sattva, and the other guṇas—meaning He governs cosmic processes through prakṛti’s qualities while remaining the eternal Lord.

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

Vishnu is presented as the Supreme Reality who is both transcendent (sanātana) and immanent (active through the guṇas), grounding Vaishnava cosmology in divine unity and sovereignty.