Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

प्रजापतीनां दक्षं तु वासवं मरुताम् अपि दैत्यानां दानवानां च प्रह्लादम् अधिपं ददौ

Transliteration

prajāpatīnāṃ dakṣaṃ tu vāsavaṃ marutām api daityānāṃ dānavānāṃ ca prahlādam adhipaṃ dadau

Translation

He appointed Dakṣa as the lord among the Prajāpatis; Vāsava (Indra) as the sovereign of the Maruts; and Prahlāda as the ruler over the Daityas and Dānavas.

Word by Word

• प्रजापतीनाम्: of the Prajāpatis
• प्रजापतीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• दक्षम्: Dakṣa
• दक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• तु: indeed; and
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विरोध/विशेषणार्थ—however/indeed)

• वासवम्: Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• मरुताम्: of the Maruts
• मरुताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Emphasis/Addition (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also)

• दैत्यानाम्: of the Daityas
• दैत्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• दानवानाम्: of the Dānavas
• दानवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रह्लादम्: Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अधिपम्: overlord; ruler
• अधिपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; (प्रह्लादम्) विशेषणरूपेण—‘as overlord’

• ददौ: gave/appointed
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातुः—दा (to give/appoint)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Appointment of rulers across orders of beings, including Prahlāda over Daityas/Dānavas

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divine governance assigns fitting leadership even among opposed clans, showing that merit and devotion can be honored across cosmic factions.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Value character over category: appoint responsibility based on virtue and steadiness, not merely birth-group or affiliation.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhakti is a real excellence (guṇa) recognized by the Supreme within the plurality of beings, supporting a world that is meaningful and ethically graded rather than illusory.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Triumph

Bhakti Quality: Unshaken devotion that ennobles even an adversarial lineage

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Daksha
• Indra (Vasava)
• Maruts
• Daityas
• Danavas
• Prahlada

FAQs

What is the significance of appointing Daksha, Indra, and Prahlada in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse shows the Purana’s vision of universal order: different classes of beings function under designated leaders, reflecting a cosmos structured by a higher, regulating sovereignty.

How does Sage Parashara explain cosmic governance in this chapter?

By listing specific appointments—Prajapatis, Maruts, and even Daityas/Danavas—Parashara presents governance as a deliberate distribution of offices that stabilizes creation and channels each group toward its role.

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

Even when not named in the verse, the framework is Vaishnava: the Supreme Lord is the ultimate source of authority, and delegated rulers are instruments through which cosmic dharma and harmony are maintained.