Shloka 57
Cosmic Appointments, Viṣṇu’s Vibhūtis, Fourfold Operation, and the Symbolism of Ornaments and Weapons
ततो मनुष्याः पशवो मृगपक्षिसरीसृपाः न्यूना न्यूनतराश् चैव वृक्षगुल्मादयस् ततः
tato manuṣyāḥ paśavo mṛgapakṣisarīsṛpāḥ nyūnā nyūnatarāś caiva vṛkṣagulmādayas tataḥ
Thereafter came human beings; then beasts; then deer, birds, and creeping reptiles—each succeeding order less endowed than the former; and after these arose trees, shrubs, and the rest. Thus, by the sovereign ordinance of Viṣṇu, capacity and station were apportioned in graded measure within the cosmic order.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Gradation of embodied life-forms arising in sequence with diminishing endowments (humans to animals to plants) under the Supreme ordinance
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: authoritative
Creation Stage: Secondary
Concept: Embodied beings arise in graded orders with differing capacities, all allotted by the Supreme ordinance, implying a purposeful cosmic distribution of powers and stations.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Practice ahimsā and stewardship: recognize all life as participating in the Lord’s order, and use human capacities for dharma, compassion, and devotion rather than domination.
Vishishtadvaita: Real plurality of jīvas with unequal capacities is affirmed, yet all are sustained and governed by the one Lord as their inner ruler and final end.
Vishnu Form: Hari
Jagat Karana: Yes
FAQs
It presents creation as an ordered hierarchy where successive forms of life are described as comparatively less endowed, emphasizing a structured cosmic arrangement rather than randomness.
Parāśara lists categories of beings arising “thereafter” in a descending gradation—humans, animals, birds/reptiles, and then vegetation—framing creation as sequential and systematically differentiated.
Even when not named explicitly in the verse, the Vishnu Purana’s creation account is grounded in Viṣṇu’s supreme governance: the hierarchy and distribution of capacities among beings reflect His sustaining cosmic sovereignty.