Shloka 75

Devanagari script

सविकारं प्रधानं च पुमांसं चाखिलं जगत् बिभर्ति पुण्डरीकाक्षस् तद् एवं परमेश्वरः

Transliteration

savikāraṃ pradhānaṃ ca pumāṃsaṃ cākhilaṃ jagat bibharti puṇḍarīkākṣas tad evaṃ parameśvaraḥ

Translation

The Lotus-eyed Lord upholds pradhāna with all its transformations, upholds the puruṣa, and upholds the entire universe; thus indeed is He the Supreme Lord, the sustainer of all that is.

Word by Word

• स-विकारम्: with modifications
• स-विकारम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सह/युक्तार्थः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषणम्

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

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

• पुमांसम्: the Person (Puruṣa)
• पुमांसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

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

• अखिलम्: entire, whole
• अखिलम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• जगत्: world, universe
• जगत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• बिभर्ति: bears, supports
• बिभर्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• पुण्डरीक-अक्षः: Puṇḍarīkākṣa (lotus-eyed one)
• पुण्डरीक-अक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीक (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• तत्: thus, therefore
• तत्: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः; वाक्योपसंहारार्थक/अनुवादक निपात (correlative particle: 'thus/that')

• एवम्: in this way
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक/निदर्शनार्थक (adverb: thus)

• परम-ईश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परम-ईश्वरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Vishnu as sustainer of pradhāna with its vikāras, puruṣa, and the whole jagat

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Lord (Puṇḍarīkākṣa) upholds primordial nature with all its transformations, the conscious principle, and the entire universe as their sustaining ground.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Practice seeing all changing states—mental, bodily, worldly—as ‘vikāras’ upheld by the unshaken Lord, reducing anxiety and strengthening surrender.

Vishishtadvaita: Supports the qualified non-dual view: changing prakṛti and individual selves are real dependents (śeṣa) sustained by the Supreme (śeṣin).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Pradhana (Prakriti)
• Jagat (Cosmos)

FAQs

What is the significance of Pradhāna and its vikāras in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that Pradhāna (primordial Nature) and all its transformations are not independent; they are sustained by the Lotus-eyed Lord, making cosmological change ultimately dependent on the Supreme.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between Puruṣa and the universe?

In Parāśara’s teaching, the conscious principle (Puruṣa) and the entire cosmos are both upheld by Parameśvara, emphasizing divine sovereignty over both spirit and matter within the creation narrative.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is presented as Parameśvara—the Supreme Reality who bears Prakṛti, Puruṣa, and the whole world—supporting a Vaishnava view where all existence rests upon and is governed by Him.