Shloka 73

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

Devanagari script

इत्थं पुमान् प्रधानं च बुद्ध्यहंकारम् एव च भूतानि च हृषीकेशे मनः सर्वेन्द्रियाणि च विद्याविद्ये च मैत्रेय सर्वम् एतत् समाश्रितम्

Transliteration

itthaṃ pumān pradhānaṃ ca buddhyahaṃkāram eva ca bhūtāni ca hṛṣīkeśe manaḥ sarvendriyāṇi ca vidyāvidye ca maitreya sarvam etat samāśritam

Translation

Thus, O Maitreya, the puruṣa and pradhāna, buddhi and ahaṃkāra, the bhūtas, the manas and all the senses—indeed both vidyā and avidyā—everything rests upon Hṛṣīkeśa (Viṣṇu), the inner ruler and supreme support of the universe.

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus, in this manner
• इत्थम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• पुमान्: the Person (Puruṣa)
• पुमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रधानम्: Pradhāna (primordial matter)
• प्रधानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• बुद्धि-अहंकारम्: intellect and ego
• बुद्धि-अहंकारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + अहंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (collective)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (particle of emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• भूतानि: beings/elements
• भूतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• हृषीकेशे: in Hṛṣīkeśa (Vishnu)
• हृषीकेशे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीकेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• सर्व-इन्द्रियाणि: all the senses
• सर्व-इन्द्रियाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• विद्या-अविद्ये: knowledge and ignorance
• विद्या-अविद्ये: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अविद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; द्विवचन (Dual)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative); एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all (this)
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• समाश्रितम्: is resorted to / rests upon
• समाश्रितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nature of Vishnu as the ultimate support and inner ruler of puruṣa, pradhāna, and the tattvas

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Puruṣa, pradhāna, buddhi, ahaṃkāra, mind, senses, and even vidyā/avidyā are all dependent realities resting upon Hṛṣīkeśa as antaryāmin and final support.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate all faculties—body, mind, knowledge, and ignorance—as upheld by the Lord, cultivating surrender and detachment from ego-based ownership.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms Viṣṇu as both inner controller (antaryāmin) and the sustaining ground of distinct tattvas (cit and acit) without collapsing their reality.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hṛṣīkeśa)
• Maitreya
• Pradhāna (Prakriti)
• Ahaṃkāra
• Manas
• Indriyas
• Vidyā
• Avidyā
• Bhūtas

FAQs

What is the significance of Hṛṣīkeśa (Vishnu) in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

The verse presents Vishnu as Hṛṣīkeśa—the lord and inner governor of the senses—upon whom both the cosmos (elements) and the psyche (mind, senses, intellect, ego) ultimately depend.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between prakṛti (pradhāna), puruṣa, and Vishnu here?

Parāśara lists both puruṣa and pradhāna among the constituents of existence, then states that all of them are “samāśrita” in Vishnu—indicating Vishnu as the supreme ground that supports and pervades both spirit and matter.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as the Supreme Reality who sustains even vidyā and avidyā, implying that liberation-knowledge and bondage-ignorance occur within a universe whose ultimate sovereignty and support is Vishnu.