Shloka 24

Cosmic Appointments, Viṣṇu’s Vibhūtis, Fourfold Operation, and the Symbolism of Ornaments and Weapons

Devanagari script

एकांशेनास्थितो विष्णुः करोति परिपालनम् मन्वादिरूपी चान्येन कालरूपो ऽपरेण च

Transliteration

ekāṃśenāsthito viṣṇuḥ karoti paripālanam manvādirūpī cānyena kālarūpo 'pareṇa ca

Translation

By one portion Vishnu abides and sustains. By another He appears as Manu and the rulers of the ages; and by yet another He becomes Time itself.

Word by Word

• ekāṃśena: by one portion
• ekāṃśena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ekasya aṃśaḥ)

• āsthitaḥ: abiding/established
• āsthitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (viṣṇuḥ)

• viṣṇuḥ: Vishnu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• karoti: does/makes
• karoti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• paripālanam: protection/maintenance
• paripālanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pari-√pāl (धातु) → paripālana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• manvādi-rūpī: having the form of Manu etc.
• manvādi-rūpī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुवचनार्थ-समाहारः; समासः (manvādi = manu-ādi, तत्पुरुष; manvādi-rūpī = तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ: manvādirūpaḥ yasya/yo) विशेषण (viṣṇuḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• anyena: by another (portion)
• anyena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (aṃśena implied)

• kāla-rūpaḥ: having the form of Time
• kāla-rūpaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (kālasya rūpaḥ) विशेषण (viṣṇuḥ)

• apareṇa: by another (portion)
• apareṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (aṃśena implied)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Viṣṇu pervades and governs the cosmos through portions as sustainer, as Manv-ādi rulers, and as Time

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Manvantara

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu sustains the universe, institutes the Manv-ādi cosmic administrators, and also functions as Kāla that matures and ends all things.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: See order, law, and change as expressions of divine governance; practice steadiness amid life’s cycles.

Vishishtadvaita: The same Lord is transcendent yet operates through immanent modes (portion as sustainer, as Manu-functions, and as time), aligning with qualified non-dualism.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Manu
• Kāla (Time)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Manvantara cycle in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse links cosmic governance to Vishnu: Manu and the Manvantara-era rulers function as His manifestation, showing that each age-cycle is ordered under divine sovereignty rather than mere chronology.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Vishnu’s role in sustaining the universe here?

Parāśara teaches that Vishnu sustains creation through an aṁśa (portion) that abides within the cosmos as its protector, while other aṁśas operate as cosmic administrators (Manu and others) and as Time.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu being described as Time (Kāla) in this context?

Identifying Kāla as Vishnu emphasizes that change, maturation, and dissolution are also under the Supreme Lord—supporting a Vaishnava view where all processes of the world are expressions of His power.