Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

हन्ति यावत् क्वचित् किंचित् भूतं स्थावरजङ्गमम् जनार्दनस्य तद् रौद्रं मैत्रेयान्तकरं वपुः

Transliteration

hanti yāvat kvacit kiṃcit bhūtaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam janārdanasya tad raudraṃ maitreyāntakaraṃ vapuḥ

Translation

So long as it strikes down, wherever it may be, any being—whether immovable or moving—this is the fierce, wrathful form of Janārdana; O Maitreya, it is a body that brings all things to their end.

Word by Word

• हन्ति: kills, destroys
• हन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• यावत्: as much as / as long as
• यावत्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधिवाचक (as long as/so much as)

• क्वचित्: anywhere/ever
• क्वचित्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: somewhere/at any time)

• किंचित्: anything
• किंचित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक

• भूतम्: a being
• भूतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √भू, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्थावर-जङ्गमम्: stationary and moving
• स्थावर-जङ्गमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थावर (प्रातिपदिक) + जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (स्थावरं च जङ्गमं च) विशेषणम् भूतम्

• जनार्दनस्य: of Janārdana
• जनार्दनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• रौद्रम्: fierce, terrible
• रौद्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• मैत्रेय-अन्तकरम्: bringing the end (O Maitreya)
• मैत्रेय-अन्तकरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मैत्रेयस्य अन्तं करोति इति) विशेषणम् वपुः

• वपुः: form, body
• वपुः: Pratipadya (Predicate nominal/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The Lord’s destructive/terminating power as a divine function

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The power that strikes down all moving and unmoving beings is Janārdana’s fierce form, the principle that brings beings to their end.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Reflect on mortality to cultivate detachment and urgency for dharma and devotion; offer the fruits of action to the Lord beyond fear.

Vishishtadvaita: Even dissolution is a mode of the Lord’s governance—His terrifying function remains purposeful within a real cosmic order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari (name)

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Janārdana (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu’s “raudra” (wrathful) form in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames the wrathful form as a cosmic function: Vishnu, as Janārdana, can become the force that ends all beings—mobile and immobile—when universal order (dharma and time) requires dissolution.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the idea of “ending” (anta) in this context?

Parāśara presents “anta” not as random violence but as an ordained conclusion within cosmic governance—an aspect of the Supreme Lord’s control over life, death, and the cycles of the world.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here for Vaishnava philosophy?

Vishnu is shown as the ultimate sovereign whose power extends over every category of being; even destruction is portrayed as a divine, purposeful expression of the Supreme Reality that maintains and restores order.